The Argentine city, a benchmark for climate action in the Pampas region, joins GCoM’s leading political platform in Latin America under the leadership of Mayor Fernanda Alonso.
At a time when cities are playing an increasingly decisive role in responding to the climate crisis, General Pico, Argentina, has joined the Mayors Forum of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM). The city’s inclusion strengthens the Forum’s representation across Latin America and recognizes a local track record shaped by climate planning, the energy transition, environmental management and citizen participation.
Located in the province of La Pampa, General Pico is the province’s second-largest city and has established itself as a regional benchmark for sustainable public policy. With a Local Climate Action Plan in place since 2023, more than two decades of work on integrated waste management, advances in energy efficiency and green infrastructure projects, the city joins the Forum with concrete experience in delivering locally driven climate action.
For Mayor Fernanda Alonso, joining the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy represents an opportunity to strengthen local climate governance and expand cooperation with other cities across the region.
“Being part of this alliance strengthens the path that General Pico has been building for years. It allows us to advance our climate agenda, learn from other Latin American cities and demonstrate that local governments play a fundamental role in building a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient future,” she said.
A city committed to long-term planning
Founded in 1905, General Pico is home to more than 67,000 people and plays a central role in northern La Pampa. Its postal code, 6360, lends its name to Agenda 6360, the city’s long-term strategic plan guiding its urban transformation toward more sustainable and inclusive models aligned with the New Urban Agenda and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The city is also a member of the Argentine Network of Municipalities Facing Climate Change, a platform through which it has strengthened its climate planning and coordination with other local governments across the country.
Local leadership
Fernanda Alonso is the first woman to serve as mayor of General Pico, a position she has held since December 2019 and to which she was reelected. Before taking office, she served as Minister of Social Development for the province of La Pampa, an experience that strengthened her territorial perspective and engagement with public policies for social development.
She currently also leads La Pampa’s Microregion II, which brings together 18 municipalities in the north of the province, and is recognized as one of the most prominent political leaders in La Pampa.
A climate agenda delivering tangible results
General Pico’s climate agenda combines technical planning, public-sector innovation and action delivered on the ground. Since 2023, the city has had a Local Climate Action Plan reported to GCoM and plans to update its greenhouse gas inventory and review its climate plan in 2026.
As part of its energy transition, the city is moving forward with the construction of a photovoltaic solar park comprising 27,612 solar panels, which will supply renewable energy to more than 9,000 households. General Pico also has a photovoltaic system installed at its bus terminal and is implementing an energy-efficient public lighting plan, with a significant share of its streetlights being converted to LED technology.
In the areas of green infrastructure and resilience, the municipality is strengthening the Benicio Delfín Pérez Urban Nature Reserve, regarded as a nature-based solution for flood mitigation and thermal regulation. The city is also advancing a tree-planting plan using native species as an adaptation measure to address extreme weather events and heatwaves.
Integrated waste management is another well-established pillar of General Pico’s environmental agenda. Building on more than 20 years of sustained public policy, the city provides waste collection services across its entire territory, as well as drop-off points for special waste, transfer stations and the Ambiente en Territorio programme, which brings environmental management closer to neighbourhoods through a Mobile Green Point.
General Pico was also selected as one of 300 cities worldwide participating in Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Youth Climate Action Fund, an initiative supporting youth-led climate solutions developed in partnership with local governments.
The Forum’s current phase
The Mayors Forum is GCoM’s political body in Latin America. Created in October 2022, its mission is to amplify the voice and visibility of cities leading climate action across the region, while strengthening cooperation among local governments and their influence on the international climate agenda.
In 2026, the Forum enters a new strategic phase aligned with the GCoM Global Strategic Plan 2026–2028. Its priorities include deepening support for the implementation of climate action in member municipalities—particularly in areas such as waste, mobility and adaptation—and increasing the visibility of the alliance’s tenth anniversary.
