Rio de janeiro: from world games to world city

There are, however, many challenges Rio de Janeiro faces as it develops into a world city. While blessed with pristine seas and mountains, the growth of the city might sully these unique natural features. Further, Rio has been hampered for many years by a reputation for crime and lawlessness, even though statistics show it no more dangerous than most American cities. Finally, as the city grows, moving around millions of Cariocas and thousands of foreigners becomes a growing challenge.

Thankfully, many of the challenges Rio faces are not unique to the city.  Other cities throughout the world, including many cities that have previously hosted Olympic Games, have faced similar problems and emerged as major centers of finance, tourism and culture.  Barcelona, once a sleepy fishing town, is now one of Europe's major hubs of commerce.  Seoul, emerging from years of dictatorship and war, is now a powerhouse of Asia.  With six years of mega events putting Rio at the forefront of world consciousness, this decade is Rio de Janeiro's chance to make its way onto the world stage.
We have provided an overview of practices successfully implemented in other global cities that can enhance the legacy left on Rio de Janeiro. By observing trends in infrastructure, including environment, transportation and housing, and attempts to improve the social equity, access to basic needs and security of the city's residents, as well as those of its visitors, Rio can better use the opportunity of the mega-events to transform itself even further than anticipated. Rio can then compliment these programs with a well-targeted marketing campaign to move closer to achieving its desired status as a powerful global destination, which, in turn, will extend the legacy of the Olympics and World Cup far beyond the actual events.
ENVIRONMENT

Considering that the Rio 2016 Olympics will be the greenest Olympics ever, our recommendations for sustainable development are focused on what the Olympics will bring for Rio in the long term. Apart from making the Olympics a green game, measures can be taken so as to bring long-term environmental benefits to the people of Rio. In addition, Brazil could take a lead and set up an example to the world about creating mega-events in an environmental sustainable way.

Additionally, Rio could use the “Local Agenda 21”¹ Program that can call for action at the local level involving the various groups and sections of society bringing municipalities and citizens closer together.  The successful evolution of an eco-city will depend on our developing an understanding of the ecological systems that we live with and how we need to relate to them.

Of course, there will be challenges to successfully implementing these ideas.  First, a widening gap between the rich and the poor and the associated high crime rates would frustrate and delay the evolution of Rio as an eco-city which is based on social justice, prosperity, and a healthy natural environment.  Secondly, an eco-city requires a coalition of businesses capable of responding to, serving, and generating new enlightened consumers.  The tasks will include reweaving the urban fabric along ecological lines, and planning the new urban infrastructures.  These businesses will be synergistic.  Further, the link between the natural environment and human survival, prosperity and quality of life is a third challenge to deal with.  The final challenge is the environmental destruction, which is inevitably accompanied by a decline in health and quality of life.

Implementing a clean city is a three-stage process.  The first stage is to generate awareness and application of conservation techniques.  The second stage would involve the creative reuse of what is already built.  The third stage would be plans to recycle existing roads, buildings, and landscapes into the qualitatively new forms that will mark the eco-cities' mature stage.  Special attention should to be given to the lack of public spaces such as greenery, playgrounds, and automobile parking.  In addition, within the unplanned favelas the problems include crowding, congestion, building obsolescence, unhygienic environment, misuse of public spaces (e.g. by street hawkers) and deterioration of urban facilities.