In Rio de Janeiro, days of heavy rain are now frequent, often leaving the streets flooded, halting public transit services, and preventing much of the population from traveling around the city. Meanwhile, in periods of extreme heat, transit-dependent people often have to wait at transit stops under the glaring sun and ride on buses without air conditioning, making time-consuming trips even more exhausting. The climate crisis has aggravated the challenges that already plague the public transport systems in Rio de Janeiro, with particularly heavy impacts on low-income and majority Black populations that depend on such transit to reach jobs, education, and essential services. Promoting climate justice for Rio’s communities requires a reshaping of urban mobility to make systems more resilient to the growing impacts of climate change, while also guaranteeing the right to essential and accessible mobility for all vulnerable populations. This is especially true as more and more communities bear the brunt of extreme rains, droughts, and temperatures.
The post Exploring Climate Justice and Mobility in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil first appeared on Institute for Transportation and Development Policy.
