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Module in pipes. The city is sinking 5-40 centimetres each year in some areas, weakening building foundations
1 and making them more vulnerable to earthquakes.

While the atmospheric levels of sulphur dioxide and lead have been reduced considerably in recent
years, the situation is still critical in terms of other air pollutants (especially ground-level ozone and
suspended particulates), exceeding limits 80 per cent of the time, and creating serious health risks.
9-12 December, 2013 vehicles, combined with geographic and climatic conditions that trap air pollutants in the mountain
Dealing with air pollution in Mexico City is a complex problem because of the 3.6 million private

basin.

Each inhabitant generates an average of more than 1.2 kg of trash daily, resulting in more than 21 000
tonnes of solid waste per day. There is not enough space for final waste disposal sites and the existing

ones are reaching the limits of their capacity. This also means that solid waste management conflicts
are sure to arise between the Federal District and surrounding municipalities.

Over 20 per cent of the urban land is covered by public and private green areas, of which 55.9

per cent has trees, and the rest have lawns and/or shrubs. There is a total of 20 m of green area
2
per inhabitant, a reasonably good amount compared to other places in the world. However, the
number drops to only 7 m if one only takes into account those areas that are under some form of
2
management.

Conclusions

The problems identified by the first Mexico City IEA are related to the existing urban environmental
public agenda, which is resulting in:

? The effects of the loss of natural capital and the degradation of environmental services, which
increases the vulnerability of diverse segments of the population;

? Risks resulting from inappropriate land use and technology;

? Daily impacts on health and well-being caused by air pollution, problems of access to water and
sanitation, a limited number of green areas, long commutes mainly using private vehicles, inadequate
public transport, and invasion and deterioration of public spaces; and
? Trends in population dynamics, in unplanned land occupation, in demand for water and the
consumption of energy.

The report described a series of possibilities, conditions and impediments for the development of
more effective public urban environmental policies, and priorities focused on the urban environmental
agenda.

38 The GEO Approach to Integrated Environmental Assessment