In an effort to improve air quality and the health of Rio's residents, the Rio de Janeiro City Hall is launching the Low Emission District. Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will be implemented across an area of just over two square kilometers in the city center.
The district's implementation will be carried out in phases through 2030. The first phase, which is currently underway, consists of revitalizing 35,000 square meters of public space in the city center and monitoring air quality and GHG emissions. It is expected to be completed in 2024.
Other initiatives are also being developed, including the construction of bike lanes, the drafting of a clean mobility plan, expanding green spaces, educational projects to engage the public, and the deployment of electric waste collection trucks.
The future district is bounded by Avenida Beira Mar and Avenida Marechal Floriano, and by Campo de Santana and Orla Conde, spanning a total of 2.3 km².
“Creating this low-emission district is another challenge that the City Hall faces in the coming years. It is a highly complex undertaking, but we believe that, by 2024, we will have already completed the first phase of the District,” said acting mayor and municipal environment secretary Nilton Caldeira.
According to the municipal government, the District will prioritize solutions to boost sustainable development and meet climate goals, helping build an environmentally responsible city.
According to the decree, the regulation of the District is aligned with the Sustainable Development and Climate Action Plan of the City of Rio de Janeiro (PDS). The initiative is also part of the Reviver Centro Program, which aims to improve public spaces and promote residential use.
The goal is to foster a more cooperative, modern city prepared to lead the fight against inequality, climate change, and other major contemporary challenges. To establish the District, case studies from other places in the world, such as London and Medellín, which were also developed in central urban areas, were analyzed.
Commitments
Currently, more than 30 cities worldwide have signed this commitment, with Rio de Janeiro being the first in Brazil. The creation of the District fulfills the municipality's commitment to promoting green and healthy streets with C40, a network of global cities collaborating to address climate issues.
The initiative is also aligned with the global Cycling Cities campaign by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), in which Rio is participating as one of the leading cities.
The campaign's goal is to scale up and unify key initiatives related to bicycle mobility, ensuring it becomes established as a safe, affordable, and zero-emission transport option. To achieve this, leading cities must commit to designing and installing infrastructure, adopting policies, and allocating resources to ensure people live near cycling networks.
The implementation of the District will be coordinated by the Planning Office of the Municipal Department of Finance and Planning of Rio de Janeiro.
Via CicloVivo.
This article was written by CicloVivo. The translation is powered by AI.
