Aquí Empieza el Mar Campaign
“The Ocean Starts Here” is a public awareness campaign led by FOMARES in collaboration with the Government of Mexico City, the Ministry of the Environment of Mexico City (SEDEMA), the Ministry of Culture of Mexico City, the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), and the Ministry of Integrated Water Management (SEGIAGUA).
The campaign will use urban art as a tool to remind citizens that, although Mexico City is located hundreds of kilometers from the coast, it is closely connected to the Gulf of Mexico through its drainage and wastewater systems.
Launched on World Oceans Day, the initiative will unfold over the coming months through public art interventions, awareness-building activities, and citizen engagement efforts. The campaign will culminate on December 8, 2026, during The Ocean Catalyst, FOMARES’ flagship annual event, which brings together leaders, scientists, artists, businesses, philanthropists, and changemakers to accelerate solutions for the ocean.
Every second, millions of liters of water and waste travel through this hydraulic network before eventually reaching the ocean, demonstrating that everyday actions in the capital have direct consequences for marine ecosystems.
The campaign will transform Mexico City’s storm drains into urban canvases, where artists will intervene in public spaces to remind citizens that every street, every storm drain, and every drainage system in the capital is directly connected to the ocean.
“The Ocean Starts Here” seeks to instill the understanding that protecting the ocean is a shared responsibility - one that every resident, every student, and every family can integrate into their daily lives.
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Why We're Taking Ocean Awareness to the Heart of the City?
Mexico City was originally built within an endorheic basin, meaning a watershed with no natural outlet to the sea. Historically, rainwater was absorbed and stored by the five great lakes that once formed the Valley of Mexico.
Over time, however, urbanization and profound ecological transformations completely altered this hydrological system. Today, the city’s drainage network connects to the Tula River, which flows through the Mezquital Valley before joining the Moctezuma and Pánuco Rivers, ultimately emptying into the Gulf of Mexico.
During the dry season, Mexico City generates approximately 30 cubic meters of wastewater per second. Of this volume, approximately 25 cubic meters per second receive treatment before reaching the sea. In other words, the ocean remains the final destination for a significant portion of the water that flows through the city’s drainage system.
This direct connection reminds us of a fundamental reality: protecting our drainage systems means protecting both our city and our oceans. What happens on the streets of Mexico City does not stay here; it travels downstream, carrying its impact all the way to the ocean.
The ocean starts here—and protecting it starts here, too.
