"Urban Pathways will enable us in deepening our understanding of climate impacts and advancing our mitigation goals.”
"Urban Pathways will enable us in deepening our understanding of climate impacts and advancing our mitigation goals.”
Belo horizonte - Brazil
Interview with:
Eveline Prado Trevisan, Coordinator for Sustainability and Environment – CSMA, BHTrans, Belo Horizonte Prefecture
Eveline Prado Trevisan, Coordinator for Sustainability and Environment – CSMA, BHTrans, Belo Horizonte Prefecture
Urban Pathways: What role does your city play in the economic development of the region?
Eveline Prado Trevisan:With a population of 2.5 million, Belo Horizonte is the one of the largest financial centres in Brazil and the country’s fourth richest city. The economy is dominated by the services and commercial ssector and has a strong presence of the third sector (non-profit organisations). The city also has one of the seven municipalities with the best infrastructure in the country. We are also positioned at a strategic location and logistically well-connected to Brazil’s major urban centres and ports. The city is also one of the largest business and tourism hubs and hosts international events. Belo Horizonte also influences 20 other municipalities in the metropolitan region, and more directly those located in its surroundings and the conurbation area.
Eveline Prado Trevisan:With a population of 2.5 million, Belo Horizonte is the one of the largest financial centres in Brazil and the country’s fourth richest city. The economy is dominated by the services and commercial ssector and has a strong presence of the third sector (non-profit organisations). The city also has one of the seven municipalities with the best infrastructure in the country. We are also positioned at a strategic location and logistically well-connected to Brazil’s major urban centres and ports. The city is also one of the largest business and tourism hubs and hosts international events. Belo Horizonte also influences 20 other municipalities in the metropolitan region, and more directly those located in its surroundings and the conurbation area.
UP: What are the current low-carbon development efforts of your city (action plans, policies, projects etc.) which address GHG emissions mitigation?
EPT: The city hall through it municipal policy to mitigate the effects of climate change seeks to reduce GHG emissions by making it compatible with economic growth. Towards this, guidelines were formulated for the environmental management of the municipality through short, medium and long-term actions which seek to implement a low-carbon economy. These measures are a part of the city’s official GHG Emissions Reduction Plan (‘PREGEE’ in Portuguese) and comply with the city’s development planning goals until 2030. The proposals that make up the PREGEE were developed around four strategic sectors. These are – transport, energy, sanitation and adaptation to climate change. These sectors were prioritised based on the GHG emissions inventory of the city prepared under the municipal policy.
PREGEE’s elaboration has a wide participation of civil society, the private sector as well as different spheres of municipal and state governments. Mitigation actions proposed by the PREGEE are: implement the policy measures of the city’s urban mobility masterplan with a focus on reducing GHG emissions. These measures include – expansion of cycle infrastructure and multi-modal integration at stations, expansion of the existing public transport network and gradual replacement of fossil-fuels by cleaner alternatives for the city’s public transport modes. Other measures are – implementation of solar energy in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors, expansion of organic waste treatment and waste segregation capacities, replacement of diesel by natural gas in the commercial and industrial sectors, and implementation of energy efficiency measures in buildings etc.
EPT: The city hall through it municipal policy to mitigate the effects of climate change seeks to reduce GHG emissions by making it compatible with economic growth. Towards this, guidelines were formulated for the environmental management of the municipality through short, medium and long-term actions which seek to implement a low-carbon economy. These measures are a part of the city’s official GHG Emissions Reduction Plan (‘PREGEE’ in Portuguese) and comply with the city’s development planning goals until 2030. The proposals that make up the PREGEE were developed around four strategic sectors. These are – transport, energy, sanitation and adaptation to climate change. These sectors were prioritised based on the GHG emissions inventory of the city prepared under the municipal policy.
PREGEE’s elaboration has a wide participation of civil society, the private sector as well as different spheres of municipal and state governments. Mitigation actions proposed by the PREGEE are: implement the policy measures of the city’s urban mobility masterplan with a focus on reducing GHG emissions. These measures include – expansion of cycle infrastructure and multi-modal integration at stations, expansion of the existing public transport network and gradual replacement of fossil-fuels by cleaner alternatives for the city’s public transport modes. Other measures are – implementation of solar energy in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors, expansion of organic waste treatment and waste segregation capacities, replacement of diesel by natural gas in the commercial and industrial sectors, and implementation of energy efficiency measures in buildings etc.
UP: How could Urban Pathways help the city's climate-related efforts in the three sectors of clean energy, urban transport and waste management? Any ideas for potential pilot projects in collaboration with Urban Pathways?
EPT: by 2019, Belo Horizonte intends to implement a pilot project to use 25 electric buses. This project will make it possible to evaluate the feasibility of replacing the entire fleet of conventional buses by electric buses by 2030. However, municipal resources for the implementation of this pilot project are still not available. The Origin-Destination survey of 2012 pointed out that only 0.4 % of the trips in the city are carried out on bicycles. The Urban Mobility Masterplan of Belo Horizonte predicts that these trips would be 2% by 2020 and 6% by 2030.
To this end, it is measures to expand the bicycle infrastructure in the city are essential. These include – project formulation and implementation for bicycle lanes and segregated bicycle paths, designated bicycle stands at public transport stations, designation and implementation of speed-calmed zones with a speed-limit of 30 km/h (called as ’30 Zones’), expansion of shared bicycle network with inclusion of a percentage of electric bicycles, development of a communication plan on sustainable urban mobility.
EPT: by 2019, Belo Horizonte intends to implement a pilot project to use 25 electric buses. This project will make it possible to evaluate the feasibility of replacing the entire fleet of conventional buses by electric buses by 2030. However, municipal resources for the implementation of this pilot project are still not available. The Origin-Destination survey of 2012 pointed out that only 0.4 % of the trips in the city are carried out on bicycles. The Urban Mobility Masterplan of Belo Horizonte predicts that these trips would be 2% by 2020 and 6% by 2030.
To this end, it is measures to expand the bicycle infrastructure in the city are essential. These include – project formulation and implementation for bicycle lanes and segregated bicycle paths, designated bicycle stands at public transport stations, designation and implementation of speed-calmed zones with a speed-limit of 30 km/h (called as ’30 Zones’), expansion of shared bicycle network with inclusion of a percentage of electric bicycles, development of a communication plan on sustainable urban mobility.
UP: Do you see any current challenges in implementing the above projects (in terms of municipal administration/ governance/ people's perception etc.)?
EPT: Yes, in my view, there is a need for constant awareness among policymakers on issues related to emission reduction policies. The integration of policies for the city of Belo Horizonte with the other municipalities of its metropolitan region is another issue that needs to be better worked upon. Since the implementation of the previously mentioned projects requires significant cultural change, there is often strong public resistance to the process. Therefore, a major challenge is the involvement and awareness of the population in order to implement such measures.
EPT: Yes, in my view, there is a need for constant awareness among policymakers on issues related to emission reduction policies. The integration of policies for the city of Belo Horizonte with the other municipalities of its metropolitan region is another issue that needs to be better worked upon. Since the implementation of the previously mentioned projects requires significant cultural change, there is often strong public resistance to the process. Therefore, a major challenge is the involvement and awareness of the population in order to implement such measures.
UP: Is finance/funding a barrier for successful implementation of projects?
EPT: Yes, absolutely. Especially, when we look at the current financial situation due to the serious economic crisis in Brazil. Such a scenario has left the municipalities with no resources for investment.
EPT: Yes, absolutely. Especially, when we look at the current financial situation due to the serious economic crisis in Brazil. Such a scenario has left the municipalities with no resources for investment.
UP: Would you like to see any new policies framed to address the sustainable development or climate-change mitigation challenges of the city?
EPT: I think Belo Horizonte has made good progress in developing policies and supporting necessary legislations. We have also made significant progress in relation to public management and participation of civil society. In my opinion, our biggest challenge right now is to obtain resources to implement the proposed measures.
EPT: I think Belo Horizonte has made good progress in developing policies and supporting necessary legislations. We have also made significant progress in relation to public management and participation of civil society. In my opinion, our biggest challenge right now is to obtain resources to implement the proposed measures.
UP: Any other concluding thoughts?
EPT: We very much welcome the contributions offered by Urban Pathways. We will have more opportunities to deepen our analysis and act more efficiently on issues related to environmental improvement of the city Belo Horizonte and advancing our mitigation of climate impacts.
The above interview has been excerpted and edited for clarity.
EPT: We very much welcome the contributions offered by Urban Pathways. We will have more opportunities to deepen our analysis and act more efficiently on issues related to environmental improvement of the city Belo Horizonte and advancing our mitigation of climate impacts.
The above interview has been excerpted and edited for clarity.