More than a billion people live in informal neighborhoods around the world, also known as slums, barriadas or villas, or favelas in Brazil. These neighborhoods usually lack access to clean water and sanitation systems, and residents live in inadequate and overcrowded housing. In 1995, Favela Bairro (FB) program in Rio de Janeiro Brazil, aimed to connect these informal … [Read more...] about Favela-Bairro Upgrading Program: Assessing results 10 years later
Urban economics
Being the main engine of economic and social development in the region, the cities of Latin America and the Caribbean are becoming increasingly metropolitan areas that concentrate population, services and infrastructure, and therefore multiple challenges such as climate and social. How to strengthen the economies and finances of cities? Learn more by reading our blog and downloading this publication.
Construction works and mobility during the pandemic: the case of Campo Grande
Once countries lift the health emergency, what will the “new status quo” be like? And how should we prepare for a new normal? Cities must continue to provide their inhabitants with mechanisms that allow their well-being through the improvement of urban spaces. Long before the arrival of COVID-19, the city of Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul in Brazil, was already rethinking new … [Read more...] about Construction works and mobility during the pandemic: the case of Campo Grande
10 lines of action and 20 measures to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus in informal settlements
On March 11th, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified the new Coronavirus or nCoV-2019 as a pandemic. In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), thousands of confirmed cases have already been reported, in almost all the countries of the region, and an increasing number of deaths. The number of cases, the number of deaths and the number of affected countries is … [Read more...] about 10 lines of action and 20 measures to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus in informal settlements
Municipalities and social housing: urban financing tools to alleviate the deficit
In the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, national governments are overwhelmed by the quantitative and qualitative housing deficits. In most countries it would take at least 50 years of sustained investments to just ease the quantitative deficit. The solution seems like a gigantic task. This situation requires a more active role of the municipalities in the provision … [Read more...] about Municipalities and social housing: urban financing tools to alleviate the deficit
Smarter and More Sustainable Cities in Latin America? We Must Learn to Buy Better
In a roundtable on the most pressing challenges for our cities, a colleague challenged us with the following question: “Do you believe that cities can buy their sustainability?” Between stunned looks and expressions of disbelief, we could not reach a conclusion. The truth is that, as Latin America is one of the most urbanized regions of the world, every decision taken by a … [Read more...] about Smarter and More Sustainable Cities in Latin America? We Must Learn to Buy Better