Planning a sustainable metropolitan area: an integrated management proposal for Tijuana-Rosarito-Tecate, Mexico

摘要

Tijuana, Playas de Rosarito and Tecate form a recent metropolitan area, characterized by high rates of population growth and economic activity, in a short period of time it has become the fifth biggest metropolitan area in Mexico. This fact has influenced federal, state and municipal governments to initiate a series of meetings in order to make a proposal for the planning and management of the area. The proposal includes an integrated assessment about current conditions of social, economic and environmental issues in order to develop some strategies for its management. Then we deal with environmental issues in order to achieve sustainable development concerning water uses, energy, risks, solid wastes, land uses and conservation areas. After the assessment, there were some strategies suggested for resource management within inner city, periurban and suburban fringes. Finally, the paper points out some practical shortcomings related to planning and management: the lack of coordination among public institutions, a weak implementation of municipal regulations, scarce environmental data and the implementation of monitoring. As well as a fragmented planning with remarkable priorities differences that have not matched in time, space and financial resources, at all.