ImageRight after the Siemens Panel at the World Mayors Conference, we had the chance to catch the deputy mayor of the winning city, Curitiba’s Luciano Ducci.

HWhat does Curitiba winning the “Siemens Latin American Green City Index” mean to you?

We are obviously very pleased and very thankful to Siemens and the Economist. It is a recognition of the extraordinary work that has been done in Curitiba over the past 40 years.

What are your citys’ secrets?

Number one, engaging the community. Curitiba today would not be possible without our culture of civic engagement. Number two, embracing all ages. Cities are not just for young people or rich people, but for the elderly, infants, and especially poor people. These citizens need to be recognized and their needs met.

What, to you, is the benefit of cities being sustainable?

Well, first off, no city today is completely sustainable. The search for sustainability is a constant one, which is why mayors and local officials need to constantly be on their feet. I think the benefit of political leadership on sustainability in cities is that it pushes personal engagement. Citizens that feel like their own efforts to be more sustainable are part of a much broader campaign within their city will be encouraged and new people will start their own small steps [to tackle their carbon footprint].

Where do you get your financing?

Mostly the federal and regional governments. Around 5% of our city budget is devoted to our sustainability efforts.

What are your internal benchmarking strategies?

I want to stress that I do not see cities in competition. Curitiba is not racing with Brasilia to see who is better. Sustainability is a long term goal that we all need to have. For Curitiba, our internal goals orient themselves according to two indexes: the Singapore Index in Cities & Biodiversity and the Green Arears Index, which marks green areas in cities by resident. It also includes a measure on species diversity. Curitiba has made huge strides in recent years, it is now home to over 330 animal species and that number is quickly growing.

Do you see Curitiba adopting the Siemens method to measure its performance?

Maybe no, maybe yes. Depends on our performance next year, no?

Mr. Ducci, we thank you for this interview.