Rio

• Describe Rio's surroundings

  Rio is very hilly and mountainous, with such mountains as sugar loaf mountain. Further more, it has many amazing beaches and bays, such as Cococabana and Guanabara. This make it one of the most visited cities in the Southern Hemisphere.
• How has Rico's location been advantageous for its development and growth?

  Rio is located on the Atlantic Coast of Brazil, meaning it ha access to water for transport and trade, leading to Rio having 5 ports, which maximise it's imports such as coffee, sugar, iron ore etc. and it's exports such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, clothes, furniture, processed foods etc. which they manufacture.
• Why is Rio a successful tourist destination?

  • Hosted the 2016 Olympics and the 2014 World Cup
  • Has Christ the Redeemer (7 Wonders of the World)
  • Many beautiful beaches/bays -> Guanabara, Cococabana
  • 5 Ports and 3 airports (Accessibility)
• Describe each of the 4 Zones of Rio

  1. North Zone: Main industrial and Port area, International airport, Maracana Soccer Stadium, Low-quality housing and favelas, Tijuca National Park
  2. West Zone: Changed from a lower class area into a wealthy coastal suburb with luxury apartments, shopping malls etc. ,Positive multiplier effect, Hosts main olympic stadiums and village
  3. Centro Zone: Oldest Zone, historical buildings, financial hub, centre of Rio, the city's CBD
  4. South Zone: Wealthiest in South America, Main Tourist Hub (Hotels, beaches etc.), Overlooked by Rochina (poor)
• Why is Rio an important Global City?

  Finance, Major Transport Hub, Industry, Used to be Capital City of Brazil, Many migrants which contribute to development.
• Why has Rio grown?

  • Economic Activity -> Created a bunch of jobs in administrative/government when used to be Capital before 1960
  • Economic Activity attracted Migrants -> Contribute to development from Amazon Basin, Argentina, Bolivia, South Korea, China, Portugal, UK, USA.
• Economic Opportunities in Rio

  • Growth of city has boosted the economy improving it's infrastructure
  • The success has attracted large companies which generates more income = formal economy (multiplier effect)
  • Brazils' 2cnd most important industrial centre.
  • Provides over 6% of all employment in Brazil
  • One of the highest incomes per capita in Brazil
• Economic Challenges in Rio

  • Brazil's economy hit with deep recession in 2015
  • Increased Unemployment
  • Richest 1% = 12% total income
  • Poorest 50% = 30% total income
• Informal Sector in the Favelas

  High levels of unemployment of over 20% in the Favelas, meaning averaged 60 pounds irregularly per month (no tax and unreliable) due to low education level and low job opportunities
• Challenges and solutions in Rio PT 1

  • Healthcare -> In 2013, only 55% of the city had a local family health centre -> Solution: Santa Marta - hard to access as hilly, over crowded cable car to get down, 13Km to nearest hospital. Medical staff came to people's homes and able to detect and treat 20 different diseases, decreasing infant mortality and increasing life expectancy.
• Challenges and solutions in Rio PT 2

  • Education -> 50% of kids drop out at age 14 and many get involved in drug trafficking, due to shortage of schools, lack of money, need to work, shortage of teachers, low pay for teachers, poor training for teachers -> Solution: Encourage locals to volunteer, giving school grants to poor families to meet the cost of keeping kids in schools, making money available for free sports lessons, opening a private university in Rochina Favelas.
• Challenges and solutions in Rio PT 3

  • Energy -> Whole city suffers from frequent blackouts due to shortage of electricity, growing population and demands of the Olympics made the situation worse, Many people living in the poorer parts get their electricity by illegally tapping into the mains, which is risky and unsafe. -> Solution: Installing 60Km of new power lines, building a new nuclear generator, developing the new Simplico hydro-electric complex which will increase Rio's supply of energy by over 30%. Took over 6 years to build and cost over $2 billion
• Economic Challenges and Solution in Rio

  • Accessibility -> Mountains block off different areas of the city -> Struggle to access formal jobs in the city -> Dependent on an efficient transport system so people can get formal employment , more tax, better infrastructure.
  • Unskilled Workers -> People living in Favelas struggle to access education -> Modern industry, main source of employment, is dependent on skilled workers
  • Informal Employment -> No tax, can't develop as quickly, crime increases, people join gang -> Gov has less to spend on developing infrastructure, services, and facilities.
• Environmental Challenges and Opportunities in Rio

  Human:

  • Huge areas of sprawling squatter settlements (40% in Favelas)
  • New areas of basic local authority housing
  • New Informal settlements on edge of the city
  • Social Inequality has led to high crime levels in some areas
  • Problems of communication

  Physical:

  • Smog caused by slow moving traffic and traffic congestion
  • Extensive sprawl and pollution along beautiful coastal areas
  • Squatter settlements built on hills prone to landslips
  • Mountains limit building space and make development harder
  • Dereliction due to de-industrialisation
• Air pollution in Rio

  • Air pollution causes about 5000 deaths per year in Rio
  • Cities often covered with brown smog
  • Mist from the Atlantic mixes with exhaust fume creating harmful polutants
• Traffic Congestion in Rio

  Challenges:

  • Steep mountains - Roads can only be built on coastal lowland, making main transport routes very congested -> It's harder for roads to be constructed
  • The number of cars in Rio has grown by over 40% in the last decade due to high crime levels - safer to travel by car -> More cars, more pollution and congestion
• Traffic Congestion in Rio

  Solutions:

  • Expansion in the meto system under Guanabara -> Less people are made to take cars
  • Coast roads are one way during rush hours -> less traffic = less pollution = less congestion
  • Toll roads into city centre to reduce congestion -> Less people want to take route and money can be used to improve the areas
• Waste Pollution in Rio

  Challenges:

  • Favelas are on steep slopes and have few proper roads -> Access difficult for waste collection lorries
  • Most waste is dumped and pollutes water system -> Causes diseases like cholera and encourages rats

  Solutions:

  • Power plant has been set up near University of Rio using methane gas (biogas) from rotten rubbish -> Consumes 30 tonnes of rubbish a day and produces enough electricity for 1000 homes
• Water Pollution in Rio

  Challenges:

  • Many of the 55 rivers are heavily polluted by run off from open sewers in the favelas and oil spills from the oil refinery
  • Over 200 tonnes of raw sewage and 50 tonnes of industrial waste enter the bay daily
  • Ships empty their fuel tanks in the bay as there are no facilities to dispose of the fuel properly.

  Solutions:

  • 12 new sewage works have been built since 2004 -> Cost US $68 million
  • Ships are fined for illegally discharging fuel into the bay
  • 5Km of new sewage pipes have been installed around badly polluted areas
• Social Opportunities in Rio (excluding the favelas)

  Social:

  • Energy - The percentage of the population with access to electricity is 3x higher than rural
  • Healthcare - 6 hospitals in Rio, so easier access to services
  • Education - 90% of children aged 10 can read and write as there's more schools than in the country side
  • Water supply - Rio has the largest water treatment works in the world, greater chance of fresh water supply than in rural
• Economic Opportunities in Rio (excluding favelas)

  • Growing economic prosperity - Attracted large companies to Rio from other parts of Brazil and South America and abroad creating more formal employment. Rio is Brazil's 2cnd most important industrial centre - City provides over 6% of all employment in Brazil
  • Formal employment - Government receives taxes from formal employment to be reinvested for improving services for Rico's growing urban population. Growing numbers of jobs provided by service industries, for example finance
• Challenges in favelas

  • Favelas further from the city are often built along main roads -> increased traffic Congestion and makes it harder for residents to access employment
  • Favelas are often built on steep hillsides -> landslips are common, access is difficult -> homes are at risk of being destroyed and increases the waste Pollution issue
  • Favelas are located mainly on the edge of the city in urban industrial areas -> lots of industrial jobs but reduces types of employment available
  • Favelas are found clustered in the North East and East of Rio -> Concentration of favelas around Centro zone
• Managing Squatter Settlements in Rio

  • Raising taxes on the rich -> the government have more money to improve infrastructure and services
  • Developing cultural activities for kids -> creates a community which should help decrease crime
  • Developing rural areas and helping armies avoid drought -> rural to urban migration will decrease
  • Rehousing people from favelas into basic, professionally based housing and forced eviction to build higher value lands -> quality of life increase and risk of landslides destroying property decreases
• Advantage of the Favela Barrio Project:

  • Hillsides secured by a pacifying police unit (UPP) to prevent crimes, leading to a decrease in crime levels
  • People feel safer to walk, decreasing traffic congestion and lowering air pollution
  • Less money spent on petrol, allowing residents to save up to move out of the favelas and into the city for better job opportunities
• Disadvantage of Favela Barrio Project

  More training is required to improve literacy and employment and learning how to fix the new houses:

  • Citizens can't acces the great employment opportunities in the city
  • Lack of quality education in comparison to the city
  • 50% of kids drop out at 14
  • Residents lack the skills to improve the homes, meaning the newly updated buildings will fall into dereliction
• Why was the Favela Barrio Project required?

  Until 1980, Rio's authorities didn't even acknowledge the existence of favelas, and weren't even shown on maps. In the mid-1980s, city planners decided they had to look after the less fortunate, poorer members of society in Rio. Rather than destroy the favelas and squeeze thousands of people into public housing, they decided to upgrade them, and provide essential services.
• Was the Favela Barrio Project a success?

  It wasn't fully a success as residents can't fully enjoy the quality of life and opportunities available to them, as they don't have the literacy skills to access the high quality jobs available in the city, and they don't have the skills to keep the newly improved houses fixed up and repair any accidental damages to occur.