Citation

Cavalcanti C. People Planet 1996; 5(2): 16-17.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1996, International Planned Parenthood Federation)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12295719

Abstract

The city of Curitiba, in southern Brazil, has been known for its environmental-friendly urban planning. Its quality of life has encouraged the natural growth of the city, which has doubled its population to over 1.3 million in the last 20 years while retaining 52 m of green area per inhabitant. In this article, the city's efforts to retain its success in the face of a growing population are documented. An integrated transport system has been created, a main commercial street was turned into a pedestrian street, the building of the Wire Opera and the Free Environment University was created, and the decentralization of the country's health system, and the launching of a program of waste sorting. All these accomplishments subsequently generated tourism, bringing in an income of about 4% of the city's net income. In addition, they have helped the 300,000 inhabitants of the city's slums with their rubbish by selling them carts on a low installment price. Migratory flow has been curbed since the creation of the Return House, wherein social workers offer free tickets to potential migrants; and the Vila Rural (Rural Town), consisting of small rural properties where peasant farmers will be able to farm in between industrial jobs. In conclusion, if Curitiba's Institute of Urban Research and Planning team is successful in transposing to the State its achievements in the municipal administration, by the year 2000 Curitiba will have proved to be the seed of a revolution that will improve the development of the whole region.

Language: en