Brazilian cities are often associated with problems of congestion, bad air quality and violence. In order to counter this bleak image, Gabriel Bello Barros presents a series of local initiatives that actively address these issues. Some of these initiatives have been in place for decades, such as the Curitiba BRT system. Established in the 1970s, this system has been emulated in over 170 cities around the world.
Other more recent initiatives, such as the Rio operation centre launched during the 2016 Olympic Games is one of the most modern operations centres in the world. The centre focuses on urban operations, mobility and disaster risk reduction and for the first time all municipal departments work transversally in the same place 24/7. The centre serves as a test bed for many new applications and solutions in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
In his article, Barros notes the importance of decentralized cooperation and the support provided by city networks. He argues for a multi-stakeholder ecosystem approach in the development of innovative urban solutions.
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