Curitiba

Question 1

Curitiba - example of a sustainable city

Answer 1

Capital of Parana, largely agricultural state, Southern Brazil - now major industrial and commercial centre

Question 2

population 1970 - 650,000

Answer 2

population 2015 - 1.9m (trebled)

Question 3

Initially planners - decentralization - new developments edge of city - urban sprawl

Answer 3

Significant policy change - greater emphasis on sustainability

Question 4

transport system - key element of success - planners sought to integrate traffic management, transportation and land-use planning

Answer 4

Aim to reduce number of car journeys from suburbs/outskirts into city centre, reducing congestion and pollution

Question 5

Other cities - underground system but ruled out for Curitiba by cost

Answer 5

Planners incorporated many features of underground into bus system

Question 6

Five major arterial routes linking central Curitiba to suburbs - cross three ring roads - weblike pattern

Answer 6

Each arterial route - two-way lane for express buses, local access lane for cars and a lane for mixed traffic use

Question 7

Five types of buses - Express buses

Answer 7

operate on dedicated bus lanes

Question 8

Five types of buses - bi-articulated (bendy) buses

Answer 8

operate on fast outer lane of dedicated bus routes - carry 270 passengers - frequency of every 30 seconds - 32,000 passengers per hour

Question 9

Five types of buses - ‘Rapid’ buses

Answer 9

operate on arteries and city ring roads - these buses respond to level of demand

Question 10

Five types of buses - ‘Inter-district’ buses

Answer 10

bring passengers from the sectors in between arterial roads

Question 11

Five types of buses - ‘Feeder’ buses

Answer 11

carry passengers from outlying districts to transfer stations on arterial routes

Question 12

Buses have separate exit doors to aid passenger flow

Answer 12

reduce time bus idles at stops - faster journeys and reduce pollution

Question 13

Fares are per journey

Answer 13

so longer journeys taken by poorer people living on edge of Curitiba are cheap

Question 14

Public utilities such as water services, electricity offices, police stations, hospitals are close to arterial routes in areas known as ‘citizen streets’

Answer 14

so public services readily accessible by public transport

Question 15

Residential areas typically low-rise and divided into neighbourhoods focused around multi-purpose community centres providing library and Internet mostly for children

Answer 15

called ‘Lighthouses of Knowledge’ and work in collaboration with schools to provide safe shelter for street children - patrolled by police to ensure safety

Question 16

City centres pedestrianized - shop owners initially concerned might lead to decrease in customer numbers - didn’t happen so has been deemed successful

Answer 16

Streets redesigned with new lighting, trees and seating areas. Historical buildings restored. Some streets have 24 hour shopping.

Question 17

ECONOMIC ACTIVITY Curitiba has a strict policy on industrial development

Answer 17

Only non-polluting industries given planning permission and city council provides inexpensive courses to train workers in necessary skills

Question 18

ECONOMIC ACTIVITY Curitiba Industrial City (CIC) is an industrial region that has provide many 100s of jobs

Answer 18

Diversified range of jobs here is more sustainable than a highly specialized economic structure which would be more susceptible to mass unemployment in times of recession

Question 19

ECONOMIC ACTIVITY CIC built 10km SW of Curitiba

Answer 19

prevailing SE winds blow away any pollution from city centre. Factories located near public transport limiting car commuter journeys.

Question 20

GREEN SPACE WHO recommends cities should provide 16sq m of green space per person

Answer 20

Curitiba has more than 28 wooded areas and parks - about 52 sq m per resident

Question 21

GREEN SPACE Some green spaces beside water courses

Answer 21

act as environmentally friendly flood defences

Question 22

GREEN SPACE Developers offered tax breaks

Answer 22

for incorporating green spaces and trees in their plans

Question 23

GREEN SPACE Open areas increase infiltration, reduce surface run off..

Answer 23

… and lakes serve as temporary storage basins at times of heavy rainfall

Question 24

WASTE MGMT ‘Garbage that’s not garbage’ programme

Answer 24

over 70% of city’s waste recycled (in Belfast 40%)

Question 25

WASTE MGMT Paper recycling saves about 1200 trees daily

Answer 25

money raised from recycling funds social programmes and city employs homeless and people with addictions in waste separation plants

Question 26

WASTE MGMT Area that cant be reached by recycling lorries

Answer 26

families bring waste to recycling centre in exchange for food and bus tickets

Question 27

WASTE MGMT Less waste dumped in water courses

Answer 27

less disease from polluted water and a better environment

Question 28

IMMIGRATION Curitiba like many LEDC cities attracts rural migrants

Answer 28

threatening development strategies

Question 29

IMMIGRATION Many migrants attempted to set up informal settlements on green spaces - numbers threatened to overwhelm city’s infrastructure

Answer 29

Two pronged approach - migrants intercepted at bus stations and encouraged to return home; surrounding rural areas developed to reduce ‘push’ factors which were driving migrants to seek a better life in Curitiba

Question 30

IMMIGRATION Families who have to build their own houses

Answer 30

given two trees to plant and entitled to architect help

Question 31

EVAL Strategies employed in Curitiba successful

Answer 31

city has won awards, including Global Sustainable City award 2010

Question 32

EVAL Curitiba’s per capita income is above Brazil national average

Answer 32

example of Curitiba shows twin goals of economic prosperity and green policies achievable

Question 33

EVAL Many of the policies relating to public transport such as single journey fare (for any length)

Answer 33

advantageous to poor

Question 34

EVAL Location of public services in close proximity to public transport reduced need for car journeys

Answer 34

so although Curitiba has a high rate of car ownership, it also has low rates for fuel usage and pollution

Question 35

EVAL However, some causes of concern over future of Curitiba

Answer 35

Population growth remains high
Recycling rates no longer increase and providing landfill sites has been a problem
City’s authorities need to be constantly alert to ensure achievements in Curitiba regarding sustainability are maintained