By Esmee Verbeek, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes is proposing to the City Council to make June 20, 21 and 22nd – when Rio+20 will take place – into public holidays to reduce road traffic. The intention is to ease the already normal heavy roadway congestion, and allow the visiting delegations, organizers and media easier access to the Riocentro in Barra de Tijuca.
According to the mayor, the goal of the request is to facilitate transportation for the many participants who will stay in Zona Sul (South Zone) or other parts of the city.
Mayor Paes explained: “We believe that we will not need to release traffic lanes only for the participants of the Rio +20. Of course there will be some kind of disorder [during the event], but it is an important moment for the city and the Cariocas will once again show they are great hosts.”
Brazil’s Chief of Staff, Gleisi Hoffmann was also at the meeting and said; “We did a general assessment on the organization of the Rio+20. I’m sure we’ll have a beautiful event here in Rio’s federal, state and municipal governments are working together.”
She added; “We are very impressed with the level of organization of the event. The [Brazilian] Army is in command of security, which demonstrate what measures will be taken. We ask the State to also prepare the Santa Cruz Air Base for the event.”
The Rio+20, where 193 member states are expected, is an UN event which will focus mainly on two themes: the green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication; and the institutional framework for sustainable development, which will look at ways to strengthen the effectiveness of global sustainability resolutions.
Read more (in Portuguese).
* The Rio Times Daily Update is a new feature we are offering to help keep you up-to-date with major news as it happens.
More: Brazil news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error