Enrique Peñalosa is currently a visiting scholar at New York University. He is researching and 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 holds a bachelor degree in Economics and History from Duke University and Masters and Doctorate degrees in Management and Public Administration from the Institute International D'Administration Publique and the University of Paris II in Paris. He is fluent in English and French.

During his tenure as mayor of Bogotá (1998-2001), Peñalosa led massive efforts related to transportation, land use and housing for the poor, pollution abatement, and the critical need for public spaces. In a city of 6.5 million inhabitants with no subway system, Peñalosa declared a virtual War on Cars, restricting traffic during peak hours to reduce rush hour traffic by 40 percent and convincing the City Council to increase the tax on gasoline. Half of the revenues generated by the increase were then poured into a bus system that currently serves 500,000 Bogotá residents daily. . . . short bio

Enrique Peñalosa is currently a visiting scholar at New York University. He is researching and 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 holds a bachelor degree in Economics and History from Duke University and Masters and Doctorate degrees in Management and Public Administration from the Institute International D'Administration Publique and the University of Paris II in Paris . . . full bio