ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book illustrates the various geological, cultural, economic, and policy-related challenges facing Rio de Janeiro, with particular attention to Barra da Tijuca in Zona Oeste. It deals with a set of general discussions to analyze the city in general. The book describes the geology of Brazilian coast and the impending impacts of continued climate change on cities like Rio. It reviews impacts of urban flooding based upon a decade of research and teaching in Brazil as well as the work of the Laboratorio de Urbanismo Avancado, an NGO focused on water management in informal urban areas. The book examines the gentrifications in Rio’s favela communities, the success and failures of policies and projects related to the informal settlements, and their impacts on the favela residents, using Babilônia and Vidigal as case studies.
