1. General information Location and description of the intervention City or FUA Ciudad Juárez (FUA) Region Latin America and the Caribbean Native title of the NBS intervention Renace el Parque Central Short description of the intervention Parque Central Hermanos Escobar had been neglected for years, but in 2022, it was fully reopened following a public investment aimed at redesigning some of its features. The renovations provided better amenities, new and improved recreational opportunities, and enhanced the city's resilience to flooding and water stress. Although the park already had a dedicated blue space, the renovations increased permeable surfaces (e.g., parking lots) and boosted its water retention capacity with cisterns, stormwater basins, and an artificial lake designed to function "like a natural one" (Ref 1). The artificial lake was one of the most anticipated additions with a depth of one meter and being used for recreational purposes. It is supplied with water from the existing treatment plant in the park’s western section, which complies with the National Water Commission (Conagua) standards. The lake features recreational facilities, such as boats and a pier, and serves as a habitat for local wildlife, including ducks, turtles, and several amphibian species that have already begun to naturally populate the area. (1,2) Overall, the improvements were intended to enhance the park's recreational offerings while strengthening the city's defenses against flood risks and water shortages. The local community will have a space to relax and enjoy various facilities, including an open-air auditorium, scenic viewpoints, an indoor pool, and a baseball field, among many other features. Website of the intervention https://netnoticias.mx/juarez/el-parque-central-renovado Principal problems Climate-Related Hazards Urban flooding (stormwater) Drought Heat stress & Extreme temperatures Implementation area characterization Climate Arid (Desert, Steppe) Ecosystem Deserts Urban or built environment Address Avenida Tecnológico s/n, Partido Iglesias 32528 Juárez Mexico Location The NBS is situated in an area, with clear delineation of boundaries and a specific shape (polygon). The NBS project can also have more than one area location (more than one polygon, situated close by). Area boundary (map-based) NBS area image Source of NBS area image Google (2024), Parque Central Hermanos Escobar (Accessed 19.08.2024), Retrieved from: https://www.google.es/maps/place/Parque+Central+Hermanos+Escobar/@31.6880075,-106.4293488,1263m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m14!1m7!3m6!1s0x86e75c333c993de1:0xab1b951de7b55948!2sParque+Central+Hermanos+Escobar!8m2!3d31.6878222!4d-106.4271636!16s%2Fg%2F1tz965t6!3m5!1s0x86e75c333c993de1:0xab1b951de7b55948!8m2!3d31.6878222!4d-106.4271636!16s%2Fg%2F1tz965t6?entry=ttu Total area 400000.00m² NBS area 400000.00m² Area description Urban (main city) Type of area before implementation of the NBS Public Greenspace Area Timeline of intervention Start date of the intervention (planning process) 2015 Start date of intervention (implementation process) 2020 End date of the intervention 2022 Present stage of the intervention Completed 2. Objectives of the intervention Objectives of the intervention Goals of the intervention 1. To enhance the recreational purpose of the park while upgrading the resilience of the city to storms and mitigate water stress; 2. To provide the community with a well-maintained, decent space in the center of the city, equipped with new and restored recreational and cultural amenities. 3. To address challenges related to flooding and allow rainwater infiltration by increasing vegetation cover, permeable surfaces and water retention infrastructure ( cisterns, bio trenches in parking lot) 4. To erect an artificial lake that will provide a habitat for the fauna of the lake and will be a point of recreation for the visitors of the park. (Ref 1; 2). Key Priorities Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation) Social Justice and community Sustainability challenge(s) addressed Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13) Climate change adaptation Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15) Green space creation and/or management Regeneration, land-use and urban development Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development Water management (SDG 6) Flood protection Stormwater and rainfall management and storage Water security Health and well-being (SDG 3) Creation of opportunities for recreation Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10) Social cohesion Social justice and equity Social interaction Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets? Implement sustainable urban drainage schemes to manage stormwater Implementation activities and NBS focus Implementation activities The renovation focused on 25 areas: 1) In terms of recreation and green space areas: the renovations include dancing water fountains, new children's games and play areas, an indoor pool, areas for catering businesses, a gym, multi-use courts, an open-air theater/auditorium, viewing points, improvements to lighting, additional shaded areas and seating areas, maintaining green areas that had fell into disuse and providing amenities for recreation along blue areas (walking paths, boats and moorings). 2) In terms of improvements to the urban drainage system: -Green parking lot: a biotrench was dug in the 12,000-meter parking lot for storm/rainwater drainage/permeation. -The road surface was improved to move water towards capturing points or permeation areas. -Two rainwater collection basins were built equipped with aerators that allow water to circulate and prevent stagnation. They have the capacity to store the runoff generated by a rainfall of 108.5 millimeters in a period of 24 continuous hours. -To re-use the rainwater, two cisterns were installed, one of 700 cubic meters and another of 300 cubic meters. -An artificial lake was built with a depth of one meter. -The water collected can be re-used for irrigation of the park. The water system is also connected to an existing water treatment facility in the Western section of the park (Ref 1; 2). Type of NBS project Maintenance and management of urban nature Maintenance or upgrade of exisiting green spaces (e.g. parks) Creation of semi-natural blue areas Creation of lakes or ponds 3. NBS domains, ES and scale NBS domain and interventions Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented Blue infrastructure Lakes/ponds Green areas for water management Sustainable urban drainage systems Parks and urban forests Large urban parks or forests Amenities offered by the NBS Benches and drinking water stations Playgrounds Sports areas and equipment Cultural (museum, concert areas) Complementing infrastructure (bathrooms, café) Viewing and outlook points Design elements for well-being Visual elements (e.g., expansive views, scenic views, natural light, diverse vegetation) Olfactory elements (e.g., floral scents, earthy smells) Services Expected ecosystem services delivered Provisioning services Water (surface and ground water for drinking and non-drinking purposes) Regulating services Flood regulation Cultural services Recreation Scale Spatial scale Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level Beneficiaries Demographics in implementation area The park is located between the west and the east of the city. The North-West and South-West side of the city are lower income than the East side of the city. The park is located betwen district 4; 5; 6. 22%; 28% and 39,4% of the population of these districts respectively reported that they could not make ends meet with their current income (city average: 28, 7%). The population of the districts also rated their satisfaction with water quality, at 6,8; 7,1; 7,4 /10 (Ref 5). The Park is also located right under the Avenida tecnologico which is an important highway for people making US/Mexico crossings (Ref 2). Socio-economic profile of the area Mixed income Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts Yes Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities Low-income neighborhoods Communities located in floodplains Primary Beneficiaries Citizens or community groups Young people and children Specify primary beneficiaries -Ref 1 mentions "families ", "children in play areas" and "people of Juarez and people from other latitudes" (Ref 1). -Ref 2 mentions "People of Juarez and tourists visit the Hermanos Escobar Central Park everyday" [...] "a better place for tourism". Marginalized groups Children, young people or youth groups Measures for inclusion of marginalised groups new children's games and play areas (1) Other beneficiaries Local wildlife (e.g., birds, pollinators) Ecosystem services (e.g. improved air quality, water purification) City infrastructure (e.g., reduced flooding, improved water quality) 4. Governance and financing Governance Governance arrangements Government-led Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative The project is managed by the State of Chihuahua's Secretary of Public Works, with the restoration work being carried out in collaboration with the municipality of Ciudad Juarez. The state of Chihuahua is the primary source of funding for the project. The project is also funded through the Investment Committee of the Chihuahua "Border Bridges Trust", a regional trust. A private landscaping company designed the rehabilitation of the park. (1,2,3) Key actors - initiating organization Regional government Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors) Regional government Local government/municipality Private sector/corporate actor/company Participatory methods/forms of stakeholder involvement (all stakeholders) Unknown Uncommon actors ("Missing actors") Unknown Land owners Public space owned by the city Policy drivers NBS intervention implemented in response to a Regional Directive/Strategy Unknown NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan Yes Please specify the national regulations/strategy/plan National Plan for Development 2019-2024 (7) If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme/type of the plan Other Please specify other national policy instrument The Mexican National Development Plan for 2019-2024 aims at the promotion of an environment of macroeconomic stability and the maintenance of sustainable public finances that favor both public and private investment. (7) NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan Yes Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan" State Plan for the Development of Chihuahua (2017-2021), and Developmental Plan for Ciudad Juarez 2016 (7) Relevant strategy or plan Municipal / city level environmental plan or programme General municipal plan Mandatory or voluntary intervention Mandatory (based on policy) Intervention is mandatory Environmental regulation Enablers & Barriers Type of enablers Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships) Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city) Please provide details (e.g, name of the plan or strategy) for the selected policies or initiatives. -The main enabler is the allocation of funding by the investment committee of the Chihuahua 'Border Bridges Trust' (185 million pesos for the rehabilitation of the Park) (Ref 4). -The park's design is implemented by a private company in a partnership with the municipality (1,2,3) Governace and decison-making instruments Strategic instruments (e.g. GI strategies, green space strategy or plans) Economic and fiscal instruments (e.g. subsidies or grants, charges or fees, payments for ecosystem services (PES)) Public - private business agreement (e.g. public private collaborations, public-private-partnerships (PPP)) Arrangements for governance cooperation Unknown Barriers -None reported Financing Total cost Unknown Please specify total cost (EUR) The entirety of the investment made is of 185 million pesos, this sum is not limited to the investment made exclusively for permeating surfaces and increasing the water retention capaciyt of the Park. The sum incudes all the works undertaken to rehabilitate both sections of the Central Park (Ref 1). What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements? 7 722 957 Euros (1) Source(s) of funding Public regional budget Type of fund(s) used Earmarked public budget Non-financial contribution Unknown Co-finance for NBS No Entrepreneurship opportunities Unknown What types of actors are leading the entrepreneurship activities linked to the NBS project? Unknown What types of support are provided to entrepreneurs engaged in NBS-related activities? Unknown Business models Business models Risk reduction model Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model? Public actor (e.g. municipality) 5. Evaluation and learning Impacts, benefits Environmental impacts Water management and blue areas Increased protection against flooding Achieved increased protection against flooding Improved stormwater management Achieved improved stormwater management Green space and habitat Restoration of derelict areas Achieved restoration of derelict areas Description of environmental benefits -Achieved improved stormwater management: "has already shown its effectiveness in the rains that have occurred in Juárez" (Ref 1). -Achieved increased protection against flooding: "They have the capacity to store the runoff generated by a rainfall of 108.5 millimeters in a period of 24 continuous hours." (Ref 1). -Achieved restoration of derelict areas "All of these actions were focused on bringing improvements from the parking lots to the last corner of this park that had been abandoned and had no maintenance for years." Environmental impact indicators Water retention capacity (m³ or %) Cisterns: 1000 cubic meters. Stormwater basins: store the run-off of rainfall of 108.5 millimeters in a period of 24 continuous hours (Ref 1). Economic impacts More sustainable tourism Achieved more sustainable tourism Description of economic benefits -Achieved more sustainable tourism: "On both hot and cold days, residents of Juarez and tourists visit the Hermanos Escobar central park every day" (Ref 2). Social and cultural impacts Health and wellbeing Gain in activities for recreation and exercise Achieved gain in activities for recreation and exercise Description of social and cultural benefits -Achieved gain in activities for recreation and exercise: "The artificial lake has facilities for recreational use (boats and pier)" (Ref 1). Evidence for use of assessment Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process Yes Actors involved in the assessment, monitoring or evaluation of NBS impacts Local government/municipality Presence of indicators used in reporting Yes Type of indicators Input indicators Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports Yes Link to monitoring/evaluation reports http://ihacienda.chihuahua.gob.mx/tfiscal/indtfisc/abcrehabpcentral.pdf Availability of a web-based monitoring tool No evidence in public records Name of any specific impact assessment tools Unknown Use of GIS in mapping impacts No evidence in public records Cost-benefit analysis Unknown Transparency Unknown Justice Community satisfaction Unknown Trade-offs & Negative impacts Unknown Emphasis of existing social inequalities or injustices No information reported related to negative social justice-related impacts of the NBS project Measures to prevent gentrification or displacement Unknown High-quality & Transformative NBS Multiple impacts delivery (climate, biodiversity, just community) No Goal setting and impacts delivery No, project goals were not set, and benefits were not delivered in all 3 key areas. Reaching original project goals Most of the project goals were achieved Please specify the achievements of the project goals Climate action: -Achieved improved stormwater management: "has already shown its effectiveness in the rains that have occurred in Juárez" (Ref 1). -Achieved increased protection against flooding: "They have the capacity to store the runoff generated by a rainfall of 108.5 millimeters in a period of 24 continuous hours." (Ref 1). -Achieved restoration of derelict areas "All of these actions were focused on bringing improvements from the parking lots to the last corner of this park that had been abandoned and had no maintenance for years." Long-term perspective Yes Cost-effective solutions Unknown Equitable impacts C. Unknown Transformative capacity Ecological change (e.g. ecosystem functions and their distribution) Technical change (e.g. built infrastructure of cities and their parts, roads, buildings and so on) Magnitude of change Incremental: shallow; that is, mostly maintaining business-as-usual approaches to adaptation Application of lessons learned Unknown Perception of Environmental Change Unknown 6. Sources References 1. de la Paz, P. (2021). El Parque Central renovado. Ciudad Juarez: netnoticias.mx, Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 2. jrzflash (2022). El Parque Central "Historia detrás del mito". Juarez: jrzflash, Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 3. Hernández, D. (2021). Renace el Parque Central. netnoticias.mx, Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 4. Castañón, A. (2020). Aprueban inversión de 185 mdp para Parque Central. El Diario.mx, Accessed on August 19, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 5. Asi Estamos Juarez (2024). Informe Así Estamos Juárez 2024. Ciudad Juarez: Asi Estamos Juarez, Accessed on September 2, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 6. Google Reviews (n.d.). Parque Central Hermanos Escobar. Google Maps, Accessed on September 2, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 7. Gobierno del Estado (2016). REHABILITACIÓN DEL PARQUE CENTRAL PONIENTE Y ORIENTE . Accessed on September 13, 2024, [Download]; Comments and notes Public Images Image Central Park in Ciudad Juarez https://netnoticias.mx/juarez/renace-el-parque-central Image Renovation works Foto by Antonio Calleja, accessed: https://netnoticias.mx/juarez/el-parque-central-renovado Image Parque Central Hermanos Escobar Foto by Antonio Calleja, accessed: https://netnoticias.mx/juarez/el-parque-central-renovado
Image Renovation works Foto by Antonio Calleja, accessed: https://netnoticias.mx/juarez/el-parque-central-renovado
Image Parque Central Hermanos Escobar Foto by Antonio Calleja, accessed: https://netnoticias.mx/juarez/el-parque-central-renovado
