Urban Issues and Challenges
Urban growth creates oportunities and challenges for cities in LICs and NEEs : RIO case study
Urban sustainability requires management of resources and transport
Causes of growth - natural increase and migration (refer to push / pull factors)
Challenges (Red) / Opportunities (Green)
Urban planning - Favella Bairro project
Managing urban growth
Providing clean water, sanitation systems and energy
Providing access to services such as health and education
Reducing unemployment and crime
Managing environmental issues - waste disposal, air/water pollution and traffic congestion
Importance
Shopping district + CBD
Contains biggest oil and mining companies in Brazil
Importance for tourism - beaches, stadiums (Olympics)
Only 12% have access to running water
Frequent blackouts due to electricity shortage
Site and Service scheme
Paved / Formal roads
Access to water supply and drainage system
Secured hillside
More recreational and health and leisure facilities
In Complexo do Alemao
100% mortgage to allow inhabitants to buy homes
Problems
Lack of maintenance, restricted budget and rents rise in improved favelas
Unemployment as high as 20%, lots of poorly paid work in informal sector - not much insurance or secured benefits
Steep slopes make access difficult
Lack of closed sewage systems
Only 55% of city had local family health clinic
Shortage of nearby schools, lack of money and teachers
Traffic congestion due to lack of roads
Squalid conditions
Informal settlements - little government oversight
Medical professionals can take health kits into homes to test for diseases
School grants and opening universities near favelas, also providing childcare
Opening new treatment plants, 7 opened over the course of 20 years
New powerlines and hydroelectric generators
Site and Service schemes, that work alongside the community
Expansion of metro, toll roads
12 new sewage works
Skills based educations courses
Free childcare for teen parents
Water and energy conservation
Pacifying Police Units reclaim favaelas from drug dealers
Waste recycling
Creating green space
Transport strategies
Promoting use of bikes (fewer parking spaces more bike paths)
Public transport is kept to a high standard, and is integrated with other types of transport (for example bikes to go at train stations)
Renewable energy such as solar panels
Grey water is filtered and reused
Shared gardens and open parks
Reducing congestion and thus reducing fuel consumption and air pollution
Freiburg
Beijing
Limiting car sales to 20% of those who apply
New metro and rapid bus in 2020
Pedestrianised city centre
400km of cycle paths, bike and ride schemes
70% of population live within 500m of a tram stop
10k people employed in 1500 environmental businesses