Rio de Janeiro case study

Question 1

Why is Rio growing?

Answer 1

• beaches such as Copacabana attract tourists
• major exporter of coffee, sugar and iron ore
• has one of the 7 Wonders of the World
• Brazil’s 2nd most important industrial centre, 5%of GDP
• Olympics and World Cup were held here

Question 2

What are the social challenges of living in Rio?

Answer 2

HOSPITALS - 2013, 55% of the city had a local health clinic, infant mortality rates are 21 per 1000
SCHOOLS - half of all children continue education after 14
ROADS - most congested city in South America
ENERGY - frequent blackouts, favelas get illegal energy from tapping into the main energy supply
CRIME - robbery, murder, kidnapping, carjacking, assault

Question 3

What are the economic challenges of living in Rio?

Answer 3

PORT - provides more than 6% of employment in Brazil
RIO EMPLOYMENT - 2% of jobs are agriculture and fishing, 68% are in Public Services, problems for uneducated popn
JOB CENTRE - deep recession in 2015, north one has 37% of its population unemployed
STREETS - over 20% unemployment in favelas, 1/3 of 3.5mill workers work informally without a contract, insurance or benefits

Question 4

What are the environmental challenges of living in Rio?

Answer 4

WATER NETWORK - 12% don’t have access to running water, 37% is lost through leakages
AIR POLLUTION - cause 5000 deaths a year
WASTE POLLUTION - steep slopes and few proper roads makes collection difficult, spread of cholera
GUANABARA BAY - commercial fishing declined by 90% in 20 years, ships, oil spills, sewage

Question 5

How have the government tried to solve the issue with water?

Answer 5

• 7 new treatment plants built between 1998 and 2014
• 300km of pipes laid
• by 2014, 95% of popn had mains supply
• 12 new sewage works built since 2004, US$68 million
• 5km of new sewage pipes have been installed in badly polluted areas

Question 6

How have the government tried to solve the issue with education and crime?

Answer 6

• school grants to poorer families
• private university in Rochinha favela
• lessons in sports such as football, swimming and squash
• 2013 UPPs (Pacifying Police Units) reclaim favelas from drug dealers
• taken control of 30 smaller favelas and Complexo do Alemao

Question 7

How have the government tried to solve the issue of energy?

Answer 7

• 60km of new powerlines
• new nuclear generator
• Simplicio hydro-electric complex increase supply by 30%, 6 years to build, over US$2 billion
• power plant uses methane gas from rotting rubbish, consumes 30 tonnes of rubbish a day, produces electricity for 1000 homes

Question 8

How have the government tried to solve the issue of healthcare and air pollution?

Answer 8

• Santa Marta on very steep hills with 8000 people, send doctors to their homes who can detect 20 diseases and treat them
• toll roads into city centre
• coast roads one way during rush hours

Question 9

How have the government tried to solve the issue of unemployment?

Answer 9

• use education
• ‘Schools of Tomorrow’ improve education for young people in poor areas of the city
• free childcare whilst parents go back to school
• courses available to adults wanting to go back to school