Urban Gardens Offer Hope in the Fight Against Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss
By Joel Enríquez Sánchez
[México City] For over two years, as an environmental advocate, I have documented the remarkable impact of the Tlatelolco Garden (Gabriela Vargas Romero; founder) on local climate and biodiversity. Situated in one of the city’s most densely populated areas, the garden has demonstrated that urban green spaces can play a vital role in combating climate change, restoring ecosystems, and preserving endangered species.
A Microclimate Miracle
According to my findings, the Tlatelolco Garden can reduce local temperatures by up to 9.5°C, a significant countermeasure in a planet that has already surpassed the critical 1.5°C temperature increase threshold set by the Paris Agreement. This is a tangible example of how urban gardens can regulate microclimates. The garden’s soil restoration efforts produce approximately 5.5 tons of compost annually, which nourishes the land and promotes biodiversity.
Ms. Karina Schwartzman shows with her thermal photo, the temperature variation from the orchard to the concrete.
Restoring Biodiversity Amid Global Droughts
In a planet suffering from severe droughts—conditions that, as expert Alfredo Jalife Rahme warns, could lead to conflicts over water—the Tlatelolco Garden serves as a sanctuary for biodiversity. It hosts 117 edible plant species, maintains a seed bank with 60 varieties, and cultivates an additional 60 plants in ongoing production. Such initiatives offer an alternative to industrial agriculture, which monopolizes seeds through genetically modified crops, degrades soil with pesticides, and pollutes ecosystems. Henry Kissinger said at the time: Whoever controls the food, controls the world (1).
A Model for Global Replication
The garden supports a diverse array of wildlife, including 17 bird species, 62 pollinating insects—many endangered due to pesticide overuse—and five amphibian species. It also provides vital habitat for local fauna, benefiting over 6,500 residents in its vicinity. I have advocated for replicating this model across other urban areas worldwide, especially considering that large cities generate around 6% of global greenhouse gases; Women´s for Climate, CDMX, Economic Interactive Museum: MIDE,2018.
Traditional Agriculture as a Sustainable Solution
Indigenous farming practices like the Mexican milpa—a diverse system of growing multiple crops together—highlights historical efficacy in feeding civilizations for centuries. Such methods promote biodiversity, soil health, and food security, contrasting sharply with monoculture and industrial farming.
There are six original civilizations, according to Miguel León Portilla: Egypt, China, the Indus Vally, Mesopotamia, the Andes, and Mesoamerica: México. They are original because they developed their own agriculture, writing, understanding of the world, hierarchies, etc.
The Melting Ice and Rising Temperatures
Beyond urban initiatives, the alarming loss of Earth’s perennial ice sheets, which reflect solar heat and regulate global temperatures. The melting of glaciers in the Himalayas, Andes, and elsewhere—accelerated by deforestation, fossil fuel emissions, and climate phenomena like El Niño—reduces this natural cooling mechanism. Recent studies from institutions like UNAM and reports from DW and Radioambulante warn that if current trends persist, these ice reserves risk extinction, leading to further temperature spikes and environmental upheaval.
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Above are screenshots of the presentations on the extinction of perpetual ice in México and Chile, by Dr. Arturo Montero and Ms. Urbina Sertag.
The Human Cost and Gender Disparities
The disproportionate burden of climate change on women is visible worldwide. In México, some girls under 15 are already mothers, illustrating how environmental and social crises intertwine. Comprehensive efforts are needed to address not only climate change but also issues like globalized agribusiness, wildlife trafficking, gentrification, and pollution—all contributing to the Anthropocene epoch.
Urban Gardens as a Path Forward
Focusing on cities, expanding urban gardens as a practical strategy to mitigate local heat, is needed to improve air quality, and foster community resilience. Visual data—including bioclimatic charts and thermal images—demonstrate that such green spaces can lower temperatures significantly and produce valuable compost, as seen at the Tlatelolco Garden, which processed 5 tons of organic waste in 2022, and 19 in 2224.
A Call to Action
The garden also counters corporate seed monopolies by cultivating a seed bank and supplying organic produce to local restaurants. Its efforts exemplify how urban green spaces can restore biodiversity, support local food systems, and serve as a blueprint for sustainable city living.
In conclusion, the Tlatelolco Garden is more than just a park; it’s a testament to what humanity can achieve through ecological restoration. We must spread this knowledge and replicate these solutions worldwide before it’s too late.
1 https://www.amazon.com.mx/Las-guerras-globales-agua-Privatizaci%C3%B3n/dp/607752154X
About the Author
Joel Enríquez Sánchez is a member of the Solutions Journalism Network in the United States and a pioneer in solutions journalism in México. His work focuses on researching the causes, impacts, and solutions related to the Anthropocene—the 6th extinction. He discovered the transmission routes of the pandemic and its connection to the ongoing mass extinction, emphasizing the urgent need to stop it to protect innocent lives. Trained at the UT Austin Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas, he verifies facts and images, prioritizing accuracy before publication. He is also a promoter of media literacy, a vital tool endorsed by the United Nations.