During Enrique Peñalosa's tenure as Mayor of Bogotá (1998-2001) he led efforts related to transportation, land use and housing for the poor, pollution abatement, and the critical need for public spaces.

He received the Stockholm Challenge Award for organizing a Car-Free Day in 2000. A referendum adopted a yearly car free day and decided that from 2015 onwards, there would be no cars during rush hours.

He holds a bachelor degree in economics and history from Duke University, USA, and Masters degree in management and public administration from the Institut International d’Administration Publique and the University of Paris II in Paris.

He led efforts to improve Bogotá’s marginal neighborhoods through citizen involvement; planted more than 100,000 trees; created a new, highly successful bus-based transit system; and turned a deteriorated downtown avenue into a dynamic pedestrian public space.

He has researched and is writing a book on a new urban-development model for the Third World, which covers fields such as transportation, land use and housing for the poor, pollution abatement, and public space.

He delivered a keynote speech on “A more socially- and environmentally-sustainable city” at the 2nd Holcim Forum held at Tongji University in Shanghai in April 2007.