Ahead of the upcoming Rio +20 Summit in Brazil, from June 20-22, the World Bank and the City of Rio de Janeiro have launched a low-carbon city development program.
The program deals with low-carbon investment and climate change mitigation in the city.
“We are honored that Rio would be our key partner in addressing the two main trends of the 21st century: urbanization and climate change,” said World Bank Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean, Hasan Tuluy, in a written statement.
According to Tuluy, the ISO certification, which is also included in a comprehensive program on urban climate change, makes the Rio Low-Carbon Cities Program suitable as a climate change mitigation business model for other cities around the world.
Cities are considered to account for two-thirds of the world’s total energy consumption and 70 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
The program`s implementation in Rio de Janeiro is good timing, considering the city is preparing to make huge investments, especially in infrastructure, ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.
Besides, the program will help Rio in achieving low-carbon growth and preserving its rich natural resources.
According to the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, Rio de Janeiro is a leader in climate change mitigation efforts, because it is the first city to establish concrete and clear targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“By the end of this year, Rio will reduce its emissions to 8 percent. In 2020, this number would increase to 20 percent,” he said.
The target of Rio de Janeiro is to reduce emissions by 2.3 million metric tons by 2020, equivalent to 20 percent of the city’s emissions in 2005.
To achieve the target, a variety of projects and policies have been launched in the urban sector, including doubling the number of bicycle paths, opening an exclusive four-lane Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), and improving sanitation in Oeste Zone, the most densely populated area in the city.
Earlier, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he would push for the sustainable and equitable economy agenda at the Rio +20 Summit.
“I`ll take this opportunity to call for sustainable development at the Rio +20 Summit. Let`s take the responsibility for the future of mankind and the earth,” he added. The Rio +20 Summit will be held 20 years after the first Earth Summit in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It will be attended by over 100 heads of state. [PNA/Antara]
