What challenges are associated with the growth of Rio?

As Rio de Janeiro’s population continues to grow rapidly, it faces many challenges to maintain and improve the quality of life for its residents. Due to its physical geography, the population density is very high, and development opportunities are limited.

Housing Challenges in Rio de Janeiro

The rapid increase in Rio de Janeiro’s population has outpaced the city’s ability to provide sufficient housing for its residents. While affluent middle-class communities have access to privately developed apartments and villas in the South Zone, the city’s poorer residents often have no choice but to live in slums or build their own improvised homes in informal squatter settlements.

Managing urban growth – cortiços

In Rio de Janeiro, substandard, poor-quality housing is often referred to as cortiços or “ghettos.” These are typically older industrial or residential buildings abandoned when industries relocate to other parts of the city. Initially constructed in the 1890s as tenement housing for industrial workers, these buildings are primarily found in the city centre and near the port.

Over time, many of these structures have been illegally subdivided, resulting in extreme overcrowding with multiple people living in a single room. Basic amenities such as kitchens, bathrooms, ventilation, and lighting are often inadequate. These buildings are usually rented out by landlords who charge high rates despite the poor conditions. While many of these slum buildings have been demolished, some remain used today.

Managing urban growth – informal settlements

Millions of people have been forced to build homes due to the lack of affordable housing. Migrants to the city often have to build homes on land they do not own. Large informal settlements are known as favelas and are located on main roads, wasteland, and very steep hillsides around the edges of the bay. Informal settlements are almost always found instances in the developing world. They are also referred to as slums, shantytowns and squatter settlements. Over time, residents seek to improve these properties; however, due to them not owning the land, there is always a risk of them being demolished.

The residents of Rio’s informal settlements face many challenges:

• Due to the very high population density in favelas, disease can spread very quickly. Infant mortality rates are very high at 50 per 1000. Often, there is limited waste collection, which increases the risk of disease
• In the poorest areas, 10% of people do not have access to fresh piped water, and 50% lack proper sanitation, which means human waste can be found in the streets. 30% of people have no electricity. In some areas that lack electricity, residents tap into the mains electricity illegally, which causes frequent power cuts.
• When buildings are first constructed, they are sometimes made from waste materials such as wood and corrugated iron.
• Rates of unemployment in favelas are high, while those who are working typically earn a low wage.
• Crime rates in some favelas are very high. Drugs and violent crime are widespread problems.
• As many poor-quality houses are built on the side of the hills in Rio, they are at risk of landslides. Following heavy rain in 2010, one slide destroyed thousands of homes, and 200 people were killed. 13,000 people lost their homes when they were swept away. 

Providing energy, clean water and sanitation

The rapid population increase in Rio de Janeiro, combined with the city’s challenging physical geography and many residents living in crowded favelas and cortiços, creates substantial obstacles in delivering essential services. A significant issue is the stark inequality in service availability between different parts of the city. 

Water supply

• Guandu Treatment Plant: The world’s largest water treatment facility, located in the hills above Rio, supplies 92% of the city’s freshwater.
• Access Issues: Despite this extensive supply, 12% of Rio’s population lacks access to clean running water, with over a third of water lost due to leaky pipes, fraud, and illegal connections.
• Infrastructure Problems: Rio often faces water shortages caused by outdated infrastructure. In January 2020, many residents reported foul-tasting and murky water, particularly in favelas, where the issue was most severe.
• Economic Strain: Residents in favelas, unable to afford bottled water during shortages, were left with limited options for safe drinking water.
• Favela Supply Challenges: Due to a lack of legal property ownership, the city’s water authority (CEDAE) is not obligated to supply water directly to homes in favelas. Instead, water is distributed to central collection points.
• Illegal Connections and Maintenance Issues: Poorly maintained pipes and illegal connections frequently cause disruptions, with water being cut off for several days in some cases.

Sanitation

• Sanitation Overview: Sanitation systems in Rio involve collecting, transferring, and treating human waste and wastewater. However, 35% of the city’s sewage is dumped untreated into Guanabara Bay through open sewers.
• Infrastructure Limitations: Rio’s sewage pipes and treatment facilities are insufficient to handle the city’s waste, leading to widespread environmental and health issues.
• Rainy Season Impact: Heavy rainfall from April to October often overwhelms the sewage system, causing untreated waste to overflow before reaching treatment plants.
• Industrial Pollution: Approximately 150 metric tons of industrial wastewater, potentially containing harmful chemicals, is discharged into Guanabara Bay daily.
• Favela Sanitation Issues: Many favela residents lack access to proper sanitation due to legal land ownership issues, preventing homes from connecting to the city’s sewage system.
• Health Risks: Open sewers, such as those in Rocinha, and the lack of piped water in areas like Pica-Pau increase the risk of waterborne diseases like cholera.

Energy

• Power cuts are common in favelas because electric supplies are overloaded. This causes significant problems for hospitals,  industry, and residents. In squatter settlements, people illegally tap into electricity supplies. This leads to power shortages and can cause fires.
• Following the hydroelectric dam construction on the Paraiba do Sul River, Rio’s electricity supply will increase by 30%.

Locals tapping into electric supplies.

Providing access to services – Health and education

Rio has a youthful population, with a significant proportion of people in their 20s and 30s. A large proportion of the residents are children, increasing pressure on health and education systems.

Healthcare

• Healthcare System: Brazil’s public healthcare is provided through the Unified Health System (SUS), offering free medical services to all residents. However, Rio has only six hospitals and insufficient local health clinics to meet the needs of its population.
• Inequalities: Significant social and economic disparities exist across the city. In affluent areas like Barra da Tijuca, residents have access to better living conditions, while low-income districts like Cidade de Deus struggle with inadequate healthcare and services.
• Favela Health Issues: Residents in favelas face severe health challenges. On average, they live 13 years less than people in wealthier districts, and healthcare facilities are extremely limited, such as Rocinha’s two clinics serving 100,000 people.
• Disease Prevalence: Tuberculosis rates in favelas are ten times the national average, and many residents suffer from illnesses linked to poor sanitation and unsafe water.
• COVID-19 Impact: The pandemic hit overcrowded favelas especially hard, with infections spreading rapidly. Many residents could not isolate due to financial pressures and the need to continue working.
• Chronic Illnesses: Rocinha alone has around 6,000 people with at least one serious health problem, underscoring the urgent need for improved healthcare access in vulnerable communities.

Education

• Literacy and Attendance: About 90% of children aged 10 in Rio can read and write, a higher rate than in rural areas. However, despite education being compulsory for ages 6–14, 25% of the poorest children, mostly in favelas, do not attend school regularly.
• School Shortages: There is a significant lack of schools in favelas. For instance, Rio das Pedras, with a population of over 50,000, has only two elementary schools and one high school. Maré in the North Zone has no high schools.
• Limited Secondary Education: Only half of children in Rio continue education beyond age 14, as many must work to support their families due to high unemployment rates among adults. Long travel distances to schools also discourage attendance.
• Social Challenges: Factors like teenage pregnancy, violence, and drug-related crime in favelas lead to frequent school closures and interruptions in education. Police operations and the Covid-19 pandemic further exacerbated these issues, with limited access to online learning due to poor internet and lack of computers.
• Impact of Covid-19: During the pandemic, school closures disproportionately affected children in favelas, worsening educational inequalities and learning outcomes.
• NGO Support: Organisations like Alfazendo work to improve literacy and prepare students for college exams in areas like Cidade de Deus, addressing some of the educational challenges in Rio’s disadvantaged communities.

Reducing unemployment and crime

The fast-paced population growth in Rio de Janeiro, driven by high migration rates and natural population increase, has led to significant social challenges. Unemployment and crime are major issues, particularly impacting low-income communities residing in the city’s favelas.

Unemployment

• High Unemployment Rates: Between 2017 and 2020, Rio’s unemployment rate averaged around 15%, significantly higher than the UK’s 4% during the same period. Female unemployment peaked at 18% in 2019, and youth unemployment remains a critical issue.
• Favela Inequalities: Unemployment rates are especially high in favelas, highlighting stark inequalities across the city. However, accurate measurement is difficult due to the prevalence of informal work, such as street vending, labouring, and housekeeping.
• Informal Economy: Approximately 3.5 million workers in Rio lack formal employment contracts, leaving them without insurance or benefits. These informal jobs generate no tax revenue, limiting government resources.
• Economic Recession and Crisis: Brazil’s 2015 economic recession and a 2018 government financial crisis resulted in widespread job losses, particularly in public sectors like healthcare and education.
• Corruption Scandals: The Rio-based oil company Petrobras was involved in corruption scandals, leading to further job losses in the region.
• Olympic Impact: While the 2016 Olympics provided a temporary economic boost, it failed to create long-term employment opportunities for Rio’s residents.

Crime

• Types of Crime: Rio experiences high rates of robbery, violent crime, including murder and armed assault. Drug trafficking in the favelas is controlled by powerful criminal gangs.
• Rising Murder Rates: Since 2017, the murder rate in Rio has risen by 20%, a trend linked to increasing unemployment and reduced police funding after the Olympics.
• Drug Gangs: Criminal organisations, such as the Red Command, dominate favelas like Jacarezinho, making these areas hubs for drug trafficking and gang violence.
• Police Operations: Law enforcement frequently conducts raids targeting drug gangs in favelas. In 2020, at least 25 people were killed during a police operation in Jacarezinho, illustrating the intense conflict between gangs and authorities.

Managing environmental issues

Waste disposal

• Waste Production: Rio generates 3.5 million tonnes of waste annually, but less than 2% is recycled, highlighting a significant gap in sustainable waste management.
• Landfill Use: Most waste is transported to the Seropedica landfill, located about 70 km from the city. This site uses landfill gas (LFG) to produce electricity and fuel waste collection vehicles.
• Unequal Waste Collection: Waste collection services are inconsistent across Rio, particularly in favelas where narrow and steep streets make access difficult.
• Environmental Impact: Uncollected waste often accumulates on streets and enters rivers flowing into Guanabara Bay, contributing to algal blooms, water contamination, and floating debris.

Traffic congestion

• Congestion Issues: Rio is the most congested city in South America, leading to increased stress, higher air pollution levels, wasted commuting time, and significant financial losses for businesses.
• Geographical Limitations: The city’s mountainous coastal terrain restricts road construction, intensifying congestion on major routes.
• Car Ownership Growth: The number of cars in Rio has risen by 40% in recent years, contributing to traffic issues.
• Health Impacts: Air pollution in Rio is linked to approximately 5,000 deaths annually, highlighting its severe impact on public health.
• Smog Formation: Heavy traffic exhaust and industrial emissions combine to form a brown smog that lingers over the city, worsening air quality.

Water Pollution

• Pollution Impact: Guanabara Bay faces severe pollution, posing a significant threat to wildlife and ecosystems.
• Decline in Fishing: Commercial fishing in the bay has dropped by 90% over the past 20 years, affecting local livelihoods.
• Tourism Risks: Pollution threatens iconic beaches like Ipanema and Copacabana, which could harm tourism and the local economy.
• Pollution Sources:
  • Many rivers flowing into the bay are heavily contaminated with sewage and waste.
  • Over 50 tonnes of industrial waste are dumped into the bay daily.
  • Oil spills and discharges from ships further degrade water quality.