WCCD launches new pilot programme with thirteen Mexican cities

World Council on City Data (WCCD) President and CEO Patricia McCarney has announced the launch of a new Mexican pilot programme for ISO 37120, the first international standard of measuring city services and quality of life.

“The WCCD is extremely encouraged by this unprecedented implementation of ISO 37120 from a national government,” McCarney told Cities Today. “In addition to being a demonstration of the Mexican government’s commitment to sustainability, it also sets an example to other national governments throughout the world. As countries continue to urbanise, the need for a National Urban Strategy becomes more and more apparent. It is our sincere hope that countries around the world continue to adopt ISO 37120 as a cornerstone of their sustainable urban development policies.”

The announcement took place in Mexico City alongside Mexican Senator Christina Diaz, Undersecretary of Housing and Urban Development Rodrigo Alejandro Nieto Enríquez, and Cesar Camacho Quiroz, President of Partido Revolucionario Institucional.

The programme will see thirteen Mexican cities become ISO 37120 certified and join the WCCD network of global cities. The new cities will include: Toluca, Durango, Cancun, Apodaca, Torreón, Guadalupe, General Escobedo, Veracruz, La Paz, Campeche, León, Querétaro and Xalapa. Participating cities highlighted that this certification will allow them to optimise their policies and current practices, and improve their accountability.

“Today more than ever Mexico needs strong and competitive local governments that can support the structural reforms from the federal government, both at the national and international level,” Senator Christina Diaz explained to Cities Today. “ISO 37120 will allow cities to better address the current issues faced by cities and will assist them to better prepare for the challenges of the future.”

The announcement follows the addition of a further 100 global cities to the network in November last year. The new members signed expressions of interest and have begun building data sets, in a bid to join the 20 foundation cities in being certified against the ISO 37120.

A worldwide first, the Toronto-based WCCD has developed a certification system for ISO 37120, the first international standard for sustainable cities. It allows for a new method for cities to communicate with each other through a standardised grouping of 100 city indicators that measure the performance of city services and quality of life, allowing for city benchmarking and the sharing of best practices.