Cooperation assessment São Paulo and the Netherlands

Transcription

1 Cooperation assessment São Paulo and the Netherlands Second Brazilian Dutch Dialogues, São Paulo August 2011

2 COLOFON Author Date State and reference : Andrea van der Kerk / Maarten Hofstra on behalf of WGC : : September, 28, 2011 Final / F001

3 INHOUDSOPGAVE 1 SÃO PAULO: AN OVERVIEW MAIN WATER-RELATED CHALLENGES BRAZILIAN DUTCH DIALOGUES SECOND BRAZILIAN DUTCH DIALOGUE IN SÃO PAULO Visit to reversal system of the Pinheiros River Visit to Linear Park Canivete Conference Urban Water in the City of São Paulo WATER GOVERNANCE CHALLENGES Communication with citizens Rapid urbanization and informal settlements Cooperation within and between municipalities CONCLUSION NEXT STEPS Cooperation assessment São Paulo and the Netherlands Blz. 3 van 11

4 1 SÃO PAULO: AN OVERVIEW This report focuses on the opportunities for cooperation between the City of São Paulo and the Water Governance Centre (WGC), as follows from the Second Brazilian Dutch Dialogue in São Paulo, of August The City of São Paulo is the capital of the state São Paulo, one of the 27 states of Brazil (in yellow on the photo on the left). The state São Paulo forms an important industrial and economic region and provides around one third of Brazil s total national Gross National Product (GDP). The City of São Paulo (in red on the map on the right), where 11.2 million people live, forms the center of the São Paulo Metropolitan Area. In the Metropolitan Area live in total an estimated 19 million people in an area of 8,051km 2. The Metropolitan Area comprises 39 municipalities -of which the City of São Paulo is one. São Paulo is the most populous city of the Americas. It has a humid subtropical climate with an average rainfall between 1300 and 1700 millimeters per year. The main rivers in the City of São Paulo are the Tiête River, Pinheiros River and the Tamanduatei River. There are 100 sub basins, of which Aricanduva (7.506 ha) and Itaquera (4.827 ha) are the biggest. The map on the left shows the main rivers (in blue) in the City of São Paulo (the green area). Cooperation assessment São Paulo and the Netherlands Blz. 4 van 11

5 2 MAIN WATER-RELATED CHALLENGES The current main water-related challenge in São Paulo is urban flooding. The main floods take place in the Tiête, Pinheiros, Tamanduateí and Aricanduva basins, but there also several other smaller flooding points in the city. The main cause is excessive rainfall in the rainy season (between October and March). Contributing to the problem is that several parts of rivers in the city have been straightened and motorways are built alongside the river (see photos below). Accordingly, the space for the river is limited and a high water level results relatively soon in inundations of the roads and surrounding areas. Furthermore, many slums are built very close to the rivers and are therefore vulnerable to floods. The Tietê river left on a sunny day and below during heavy rains. A second important water-related challenge in São Paulo is water pollution. The domestic sewage system seems to be the main source of this pollution. In the past, many heavy industries were located in São Paulo, but they were encouraged to move out of the city. Nowadays, there are mostly small-scale industries that cause pollution in some points of the city. Currently, the municipality is developing a long-term drainage plan for São Paulo to cope with the flood problems. This plan exists of two elements: a Macro Drainage Plan for the Alto Tietê basin (PDMAT) and a Water Management Plan for the City (FCTH). The objectives are to enhance the permeability of the city and to reconstruct and redevelop the city by land use legislation and large intervention areas (such as the linear parks, covered in chapter 4.2 of this report). Cooperation assessment São Paulo and the Netherlands Blz. 5 van 11

6 3 BRAZILIAN DUTCH DIALOGUES In January 2010 São Paulo suffered from strong inundations, leaving thousands of people roofless and millions of material damages. In April 2010 Mayor Gilberto Kassab of São Paulo met Mr. Eurlings, former Dutch Minister of Public Works, Transport and Water Management. They discussed the inundations in Sao Paulo and the mutual problems and successes in the field of water management. After that, the Dutch government offered to organize a Brazilian Dutch Dialogue (BDD) on Urban Water Management to share knowledge and experience between Dutch and Brazilian experts and authorities on this theme. In November 2010, Brazilian authorities and specialists were invited to meet their Dutch counterparts in Rotterdam. During this first BDD, the participants discussed the successes and challenges in water management, urban drainage and flood control in the Netherlands and in the city of São Paulo. At the end of the first dialogue, it was decided to continue with a second BDD in São Paulo. The participants identified five themes to elaborate on in the second BDD: Methodology for the design of mitigating measures for urban flooding. Evaluate a program for Sao Paulo similar to Room for the River and Living with Water. Innovative solutions for urban drainage and retention facilities, such as the water parks of Rotterdam. Flood Risk and Hazard mapping, Early Warning Systems and underlying modeling with more detailed information on the area at risk to be flooded, where the resources could be deployed more effectively and be used to communicate with the public. Best strategy for communication with the public related to flooding. Cooperation assessment São Paulo and the Netherlands Blz. 6 van 11

7 4 SECOND BRAZILIAN DUTCH DIALOGUE IN SÃO PAULO For the second BDD, the municipality of São Paulo invited a group of Dutch experts to discuss the themes that were identified in the first BDD in Rotterdam. The BDD in São Paulo consisted of one day of site visits and a two-day conference on Urban Water in the City of São Paulo. 4.1 Visit to reversal system of the Pinheiros River On Monday August 29 the Dutch delegation was invited to visit the installations of the Empresa Metropolitana de Aguas e Energia (Metropolitan Company of Water and Energy, EMAE) forming the reversal system of the Pinheiros River. Since a large part of the Brazilian coast is located higher than the hinterland, many Brazilian rivers flow inland, instead of to the coast. The natural flow of the Pinheiros River is also inland, in the direction of the Tietê River. However, the flow of the Pinheiros River is reversed in order to generate hydropower. The EMAE installations were built to pump the water upwards (30 meters) to a higher located reservoir near the city of Santos- at the coast. From this reservoir, the water falls down 720 meters due to the natural difference in altitude. This can be used to generate hydropower. Hydropower is a very important source of energy in Brazil. However, due to the pollution of the water, it is currently prohibited to pump the water towards the reservoir -which also serves as a source for drinking water. Only when the water level in the river increases rapidly, the installations are allowed to pump the water out of the city towards the reservoir, to prevent flooding. The University of São Paulo and EMAE jointly explored in a research project how to reduce the pollution in the Pinheiros River. Pilot tests with floatation were conducted, but these tests did not deliver the desired results. Cooperation assessment São Paulo and the Netherlands Blz. 7 van 11

8 4.2 Visit to Linear Park Canivete In the afternoon, the Dutch delegation was invited to visit the Linear Park Canivete along the River Cabaçu de Baixo in the north of São Paulo. This park is part of a municipality program, aiming to create 100 linear parks from 2005 until 2025 and to remove slums from flood-prone areas. The linear parks serve as a drainage area, but also form a recreation space for the community. The parks usually include playgrounds where children can play and do sports. Since 2005 the municipality invested R$ 160 million implementing parks; R$ 140 million in park maintenance; and R$ 30 million in expropriations. The visited park seemed well-maintained and is being used by the community for recreation purposes. A persistent challenge remains the pollution of the river and river bank. Linear Park Canivete 4.3 Conference Urban Water in the City of São Paulo On Tuesday August 30 and Wednesday August 31, the conference on Urban Water in the City of São Paulo took place in one of the main municipality buildings in the centre of São Paulo. During the conference, the Dutch and Brazilian experts presented the themes as identified during the first BDD (i.e. prevention of floods; mitigation measures for urban flooding and urban drainage and retention facilities; communication and stakeholder participation; flood risk, hazard mapping and warning systems). In between the presentations there was time for discussions on the themes. Cooperation assessment São Paulo and the Netherlands Blz. 8 van 11

9 5 WATER GOVERNANCE CHALLENGES At the conference, both Maarten Hofstra (WGC) and Arnoud Molenaar (City of Rotterdam) held a presentation on lessons learned on water governance. The Brazilian participants were specifically interested in the issues of stakeholder participation and communication with citizens. In his presentation Hofstra emphasized the relational aspects in the water sector, for which trust is an important prerequisite. This point was confirmed by several Brazilian participants as an important issue. The clearest opportunities for cooperation between São Paulo and the WGC are in the area of communication with citizens in flood-prone areas and stakeholder participation. How to make the citizens more aware? How to reach the citizens prior to a flood? How to integrate stakeholders in the policy process? During the site visits, the conference and the side talks with the participants, several water governance challenges were brought up that inhibit an effective water management in the city: 5.1 Communication with citizens One of the issues that were prioritized by the Brazilian participants was a desire for an improved communication with the citizens of São Paulo. Especially support from the Netherlands on reaching the citizens in case of a predicted flood would be appreciated. Not only the technical, but especially the communication elements were regarded important. Furthermore, the participants showed interest in the Living with Water program and would like to get Dutch support on how to raise awareness on living with water and how to communicate with the people before and during floods. 5.2 Rapid urbanization and informal settlements São Paulo experiences very rapid urbanization. One of the consequences is that an estimated 3.4 million people live in slums or informal settlements, often in risky areas. About 136km 2 of the city is regarded as precarious settlement area. In order to remove people from risky areas and improve the lives of slums dwellers, the municipality initiated a re-urbanization program. This program involves for example offering better housing in other less flood-prone areas. This process works well in some areas, but in other areas the process is stagnated because the inhabitants refuse to move. The involvement of the communities and communication in this process could possibly be improved. 5.3 Cooperation within and between municipalities Several participants of the conference and site events expressed that the cooperation between different departments of the São Paulo municipality is not always functioning effectively. Also the cooperation between the São Paulo municipality and the other municipalities of the wider Metropolitan Area is at times difficult. This makes problems such as water pollution difficult to tackle, especially since the city of São Paulo shares rivers with other municipalities of the Metropolitan Area. Cooperation assessment São Paulo and the Netherlands Blz. 9 van 11

10 6 CONCLUSION The municipality of São Paulo is determined to tackle the challenges of floods, pollution, rapid urbanization and risky settlements. It was concluded that the participants wish to continue the Brazilian Dutch Dialogue. The identified subjects for further cooperation include many governance aspects. The following themes were selected: Financing of urban water management measures Set-up business case with public-private partnership (PPP). Master plan Urban Water Management Set-up of master plan mirror-group to share best practices (Municipal Plan and PDMAT3 vs. Rotterdam Waterplan and experience Water Governance Centre) Collaborate on design philosophy: water based urban planning (include in urban drainage handbook). Elaborate on a complicated case which requires integral approach. Design of urban water storage areas Sharing of the Brazilian experience with water storage measures and the Dutch experience with water retention and water squares. Underground storage infrastructure to retain and drain storm water. Water governance / public communication Communication tools to involve stakeholders in technical planning processes (e.g. with GIS Maptable). Experience with emergency situations through acting a fictional flooding in a certain area with all stakeholders (e.g. municipality, police, hospital). Urban applications of flood warning system Investigate the possibility on cooperation between USP-FCTH and Dutch Water Sector on the improvement of the flood warning system for São Paulo. Investigate the possibility to develop a landslide early warning system for the São Paulo region (now 30,000 families at risk). Development of a Digital Water Portal for communication with the public on problems with water management and flooding. Cooperation assessment São Paulo and the Netherlands Blz. 10 van 11

11 7 NEXT STEPS The next steps that were formulated are: Preparation of a detailed work plan for the elaboration of these identified themes (including the financing) within 2 months. Reach mutual agreement on the work plan and the framework of execution. This framework could be for instance within the Netherlands Water Partnership or the MOU between the Cities of São Paulo and Rotterdam signed on 15th April Depending on the elaboration results, a 3rd Brazilian Dutch Dialogue may be organized. This could be parallel to the event IABR2012 in April Cooperation assessment São Paulo and the Netherlands Blz. 11 van 11

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