cities A TALE OF OUR
Environmental renewal and economic progress
are intimately linked—nowhere more closely than
in today’s cities. If policymakers can make cities
livable and sustainable, they will reap dividends in
economic development, inclusion and social progress.
n an increasingly urban world, the greatest
challenges to quality of life will be in the cities.
According to the 2007 United Nations Habitat
Global Report on Human Settlements, an estimated 1 billion people live in slums—and the figure is
growing. In environmental terms alone, the threat
posed by our crowded cities is significant. An estimated 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions come from cities, according to the UN.
The outcome of the battle to create sustainable
cities and improve the quality of life for their residents while reducing environmental impact will
define the planet’s future. As
the former three-term mayor
of Curitiba, Brazil (from 1971 to
I
1975, 1979 to 1983 and 1989 to 1992), I helped lead
the physical, economic and cultural transformation of the city that started with the creation of
the Institute of Urban Planning and Research of
Curitiba (IPPUC) in 1965, and the preparation of
the 1966 Master Plan for Curitiba.
This included the world’s first integrated mass-transit system, which became known worldwide
for its efficiency, quality and low cost. In my first
term, my administration also created a model
to organize the growth of the city along “setores
estruturais”—a model that integrates land use
(higher densities, housing, commerce, services), public transportation and the road network
by Jaime Lerner
62 Americas Quarterly FALL 2009
