The city of Niterói in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has been leading ambitious initiatives to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Through the “Niterói on Bicycle” program and the “Carbon Neutralization Program,” the municipality, a signatory of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM) since 2015, aims to ensure a more sustainable future for its residents and the planet.
The sanctioning of the two projects was signed on May 10 during a meeting with the Global Covenant of Mayors’ Coordinator for the Americas, Hélinah Cardoso. “The two projects sanctioned by the mayor during our meeting further propel Niterói towards decarbonization and reaffirm the city’s commitment to climate and energy transition agendas,” said Cardoso.
Mayor Axel Grael hopes Niterói will serve as a model for other cities. “The ‘Niterói on Bicycle’ program, which establishes a public bike-sharing service, is a significant action on our sustainability agenda and will be a major achievement for our municipality, which already boasts one of the most frequented bike lane networks in the country and will now see even more cyclists using the infrastructure. The carbon neutralization project is a pioneering initiative in our city, recognized in national and international forums as a good example of public policy to encourage efforts around the issue of climate change,” he emphasized.
Niterói on Bicycle
Filipe Simões, the coordinator of the Niterói on Bicycle program, stated that the city will become the first Brazilian municipality to consider bike-sharing as a public service. “We will manage the system with a technical and urban mobility perspective, meaning we won’t be limited to necessarily profitable areas; we will be obligated to grow equitably across different areas of the city, serving areas far from the center with the same efficiency and intensity.”
Renato Barandier, Municipal Secretary of Urban Planning and Mobility, celebrated the victory for sustainable urban mobility. “Often, people can’t afford a bicycle due to income issues, space limitations at home, or other constraints. Therefore, bike-sharing allows usage according to society’s needs. For instance, a student who spends only the school period in the city and returns home afterward can use it to get to class or travel a bit further. It offers usage flexibility to a much wider range of people than just those who own bicycles.”
Councilman Leonardo Giordano explained the importance of focusing on implementing the project concentrically, covering all city areas. “Another positive aspect is that 20% of the space at the stations will be used to promote Niterói’s cultural programming, creating an emotional connection and giving purpose to that promotional space,” he noted.
Carbon Neutralization Program
Niterói’s Carbon Neutralization Program is a social initiative focused on vulnerable areas of the city, bringing climate education to communities. Rafael Robertson, Municipal Secretary of Environment, Water Resources, and Sustainability, mentioned the challenge of reconciling data on those registered so that when they reach the municipal social assistance agency, the transfer can be made, monitoring the reduction in emissions, water consumption, and waste.
“We are identifying possible areas for carbon offsetting and have established the program to facilitate the transfer of resources for social assistance directly to residents. Nearly a hundred households are already registered in the program, which is now in the phase of properly installing water meters and gauges. Once this implementation is complete, the Zero Measurement Baseline will be established, and after three months, transfers will be made to households that meet the emission reduction target,” explained Rafael.
Marcos Lacerda, Deputy Secretary of Climate, highlighted the initiative’s pioneering nature at the national level as a project of income transfer based on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. “In the social sphere, it’s crucial to have direct involvement in the quest of reducing the city’s carbon emissions. The program enables work within low-income communities, motivating residents to reduce energy, water, and waste consumption.” Lacerda added that emission reductions meet goals set with the communities, allowing residents to receive financial benefits for home improvements and continuing emission reduction efforts.