The Sustainable City IB SL

Sustainable Development In Curitiba Curitiba, a city in south-west Brazil is an excellent model for sustainable urban development. It has experienced rapid population growth from 300,000 in 1950 to 1.8 million in 2007. It has managed to avoid all the problems normally associated with such expansion.

Innovative Planning Public transport is preferred over private cars. The environment is used rather than changed. Cheap, low-technology solutions are used rather than high-technology ones. Development occurs through the participation of citizens (bottom-up development) rather than via centralised planning (top-down development).

Sustainable Solutions To Flooding Problems (1950’s/60’s) Solutions (Late 1960’s Onwards) Many streams had been covered to form underground canals, which restricted water flow. Houses and other buildings had been built too close to rivers. New buildings were built on poorly drained land on the periphery of the city. Increase in roads and concrete surfaces accelerated runoff. Natural drainage was preserved; these natural floodplains are used as parks. Certain low-lying areas are off-limits. Parks have been extensively planted with trees; existing buildings have been converted into new sports and leisure facilities. Bus routes and bicycle paths integrate the parks into the urban life of the city.

Pollution Management The main way of reducing pollution has been to reduce the number of cars on the road. This has been done by having an integrated transport network. In Curitiba, Brazil, the road network and public transport system have structural axes. These allow the city to expand, but keep the shops, workplaces and homes closely linked.

Activity How importaint is sustainability and why is it needed? Could MEDC or LEDC cities be seen as being more sustainable? Give reasons for your answer.