Mexico City, home to 20 million residents and 4 million cars, is not typically associated with the words “clean” and “green.” One of the most populous and polluted cities in the world, its notoriety stems primarily from smog, traffic congestion, and crime. However, thanks to the Green Plan, an environmental initiative introduced by Mayor Marcelo Ebrard, the metropolis is undergoing an important transformation.

The Green Plan is a $5.5-billion, 15-year vision that aims to earn the capital city the distinction of being “the greenest city in the Americas.” Under the plan, Mexico City will boast more bike lanes than Amsterdam and more bike-rental facilities than Paris. New buildings will be solar-powered, rivers will be cleansed, and the city’s rooftops will be home to gardens and parks.

Since coming to office in 2006, Ebrard has already implemented some of his environmental goals, breaking ground on a 12th subway line and replacing pollution-causing buses and taxis with cleaner, more eco-friendly models. Ebrard has not shied away from incentives for individuals, either: residents who fail to separate their trash into organic and inorganic will be fined.

Ebrard’s green record includes helping to draft Mexico’s first environmental legislation in 1987. Adding to his credibility is the fact that on the first Monday of each month, he joins thousands of other city officials in riding their bikes to work, setting an example for citizens to follow.

As Ebrard explained in the Huffington Post, “If we don’t take the lead in what we want to do, we won’t have authority. Because if I say, ‘you go by bike and I’ll go in my car,’ it won’t work.”

While few doubt Ebrard and his government’s seriousness in transforming the city, some wonder if the emphasis on making the city the greenest on the continent is more about appearances than recreating a city that’s more livable and healthier for its residents. Ebrard is known for his political astuteness and for his public aspirations to run for president in the 2012 election. Bernardo Baranda, Mexico director for Institute for Transportation and Development Policy based in New York, told the Huffington Post: “I think the goal should be that things actually work, rather than promising to be number one. It’s a process and you can’t do it overnight.”