Curitiba: The Green Capital
The inhabitants of the megapolis of Curitiba in Brazil have 16 parks, 14 forests and more than 1000 green public spaces as their immediate neighbours. As a whole, the green urban areas in Curitiba are among the largest in the world and every inhabitant of the city has approximately 52 m² of nature to romp about in. Brazil's green capital makes a tremendous effort to preserve the city's natural environment and is regarded by many as one of the world's best examples of green urban planning.
With a network of almost 30 parks and urban forested areas, Curitiba is the greenest capital in southern Brazil. Back in 1970, each of the city's inhabitants had less than 1 m² of green area. A goal-directed effort has since boosted this area to 52 m² per inhabitant and the city is still actively improving its natural environment. In 2007, Curitiba came third on the list of the 15 Green Cities in the World in the American magazine Grist.
Curitiba's environment legislation protects the local vegetation (mixed subtropical forest), which has been threatened by urban development. It makes sure that the Paraná pine (Araucaria angustifolia) is not felled in public or private parks. In order to protect the local vegetation, the city's Municipal Secretariat of the Environment produces 150,000 endemic cuttings, 16,000 fruit trees and 260,000 flower seeds, at the same time as 350,000 cuttings are nursed in a botanical garden and three greenhouses.
The city has succeeded in introducing a Green Exchange employment programme to the benefit of the environment and socially deprived groups. Low income families living in the favelas, shantytowns out of reach of the city's dustcarts, can exchange their rubbish bags for bus tickets and food. Children can exchange reusable waste with school articles, chocolate, toys and tickets to entertainment events. The project results in less household waste in the streets as well as in sensitive areas such as rivers and parks. In combination with other initiatives, 70% of Curitiba's waste is recycled by the city's inhabitants. The city's recycling of paper alone accounts for the equivalent of 1,200 trees a day.
The population at large in Curitiba is also involved in the green city's development and have, among other things, planted 1.5 million trees along the city's highways and byways. Many streets in the city centre have been converted to pedestrian precincts and a 'flower street' is cared for by street children. Curitiba's 'Open University' provides an education for a modest fee, and the city's inhabitants are taught about environment protection. Clapped out old city buses are used as mobile schools which teach the population about sustainability.
Curitiba has set new standards of sustainable urban planning. In order to demonstrate the city's contribution to the global agenda, Curitiba held an international summit in 2007 on urban planning and biodiversity for civic leaders from all over the world. Here, Jamie Lerner, the recognised urban planner and former mayor of Curitiba, pointed out that urban planning both should and can incorporate environmental, social and economic sustainability, as they have done in Curitiba.
"Cities are not the problem, they are the solution."
Jamie Lerner, urban planner and former mayor of Curitiba.
Comments
I am Brazilian and I'm very happy to see the city of Curitiba is internationally recognized. It is an example to be followed by the rest of our country.
I live in Curitiba, and unfortunately this scenario is no more than a myth, a desire born in some minds in the late 70's, based on some idealism plus a well done marketing plan. The real Curitiba, have no space or support for bikes, has an enormous speculative building process and a mafia running the buses business and garbage care. Search more and discover by yourself. PLus is considered the most violent city in the country, three times more violent than Sao Paulo, and slightly more violent than Rio de Janeiro. http://www.band.com.br/jornalismo/cidades/conteudo.asp?ID=297060&origem=...
Dear Claudio, thank you for this comment. Of course, this sounds very alarming. Is this the general picture of cities in your country, or is the situation in Curitiba particularly severe?
Ho Søren
Cities here are , in general, a kind of feudal clusters. Parks and beautiful places (like the one in the picture above that is located 3 minutes from my home) are safe, give the impression of perfect world and make people feel good. But those very places and cities are surrounded by injustice, lack of green areas, disturbing traffic and arrogance. Curitiba is not a city, it is a great marketing operation, lead by the same group since 1968 and that have created profits for its participants. The general violence is a consequence of greed, of dependence of money as the only and one mediator, lack of neighborliness (as use to be) and the belief that development and progress are more than the myths created and improved in the last 70 years. The Situation in curitiba is more severe, because here, in general, the people do believe that what they need is more of the same medicine that have poisoned our lives.
I've lived in Curitiba for the past 4 years. I'm from Los Angeles, California. I've found it to be a very safe and pleasant place to live with many people using the parks and recreactional areas and supurb bus transportation system. There is a very good international airport, many nice up-scale malls with bookstores and 1st run movies from Hollywood and elsewhere, good shopping, concerts, theatre, live music in public squares, wonderful little farmers markets in most neighborhoods once a week.
Of course, like most big cities around the world there is crime and violence. For me, the cost of living is half of Los Angeles and my US $ goes farther here. The weather is good, but rainy, on a mountain plateau about 2 hrs from the ocean by car. The city is very cosmopolatian with a European vibe. Mostly German, Italian, Polish, Ukranian, Japenesse and, of course, Spanish and Portuguese descent. Many international corporations located here. Good banking, several first rate universities, including the oldest in country and the oldest technological college, 4 medical schools, excellent hospitals, and some of the best doctors in the country. Health care is cheap compared to US. Of course, there are poor people here, there is poverty, there is crime and violence. There is political corruption. But this is also Brazil. But from my perspective it's been great for me personally. I'm an average upper middle class professional and well educated and traveled so you have to take it from my vantage point. If someone has little or no money, dead end job, poor education and living in substandard quarters etc, of course, they would have a different outlook and opinion.
I think the biggest problem for Curitiba as well as Brazil as a whole is the political corruption!
Hello Everybody!
Well, I live here, at Curitiba, since i was born and Claudio is distorting all the facts. The things are not in this way.
Jaime Lerner had problems with his government, yes! But, our city, wouldn't be this that is nowadays if wasn't him. He like politic, ok, a problem. But, like Urbanist and Architect, he is one of the best.
I already visited Rio de Janeiro ( ilch... ) and São Paulo. There aren't comparations. The midia hide all the really facts. At the Rio de Janeiro if you breath, you are stoled. At São Paulo, it's a caos. Ya, it's the Brazil's Heart. The same of New York. Metropole. And Curitiba, we are, more and less, 600 km from São Paulo. Unfortunately, people without any culture from São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro or Northeast, are coming down to Curitiba.
So, the hegemony that we had like a European Culture, with a Organized City, there is no more. Thus, the quality of life got down and, really, the assaults and the chart of crimes, almost blown up... But, see: We have a differencial. Here is not the same of Rio de Janeiro where the poor village are at the middle of the City. So, it's "separated"... Like Paris. So, You can walk on the streets normally.
We are the third world. What Claudio want? A city of the first world? The concept of sustainable city is not that it can't have any problem but, how this city get to live and to get better this problems. And Curitiba do this.
You from abroad, come here. Have a tour at Curitiba and you gonna understand what i'm saying.
We have a lot of parks and a lot of touristic points. It's is beautiful.
We are pleasure in receive you at Curitiba.
Hug for all.
I'm writing an essay for university about Curitiba. I'm finding reading all of your opinions very interesting. I can't help reading Claudio's negative opinions about the city however. In regards to the build environment and the amazing effort that has been put into improving Curitiba I think the evidence speaks for itself and cannot be argued with. It is however, a city. Every city in the world has its issues with pollution, corruption, crime etc and I don't think this can take away from the fact that there is good reason for Curitiba to be internationally recognised as a leader in sustainable urban growth and development. I'm studying architecture and in my four years of studying, i'm yet to come across anything which comes close on this scale. Really can't wait to visit some day.
peace out from London.
I regret to say that claudio is speaking the truth. I am a doctor here in curitiba, I have lived here for 30 years. I am glad to see that I am not alone in this view, I am proud that claudio has had the courage to speak the truth. Thank you for doing this great service to the world
This blog is an exact representation of skills. I appreciate the blogger for posting the most excellent thought. This topic posted by you is trustworthy. I like you recommendation.Your recommendation is of well use to people. A great article post, this is something very interesting. A great concept that reflects the excellent thoughts of the writer.
Post new comment