In Brazil, 87.4% of the population lives in urban areas, according to the 2022 Census of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), concentrating both the challenges and opportunities of sustainable urban development. Territorial inequalities remain significant: urban peripheries and Amazonian cities face more limited access to sanitation, drainage, and mobility, while also being more exposed to extreme weather events and increasing pressure on ecosystems. In Brazil"s North region, only 46.4% of the population has access to adequate wastewater services, even though approximately 70% of the Amazonian population lives in urban areas. In addition, nearly 20% of residents in favelas and informal settlements live on streets without vehicle access, compared to only 1.4% outside these areas. More than half of these residents also lack access to urban drainage infrastructure.
The bilateral BMZ cooperation project "Sustainable Urban Development in Brazil III" (DUS III), implemented by GIZ in partnership with the Ministry of Cities (MCID), expands the results of its previous phase (DUS II) by scaling the Integrated Urban Development (IUD) approach in priority territories, with a particular focus on urban peripheries and Amazonian cities. The project promotes the integration of sectoral policies, including housing, mobility, sanitation, environment, and economic development, while aligning planning, financing, and implementation process. It also strengthens coordination across levels of government and applies a place-based approach to generate urban, social, economic, and environmental impacts. Its objective is to expand access to infrastructure and services, reduce climate vulnerabilities, and promote social participation in urban decision-making, thereby contributing to inclusion, economic dynamism, and climate justice in Brazilian cities.
GIZ intends to contract services to structurally strengthen a socio-economic and climate resilient just transition in Amazonian cities and urban peripheries in Brazil, at both national and subnational levels, supporting:
1. Integrated and inclusive urban development to promote economic opportunities in Amazonian cities.
2. Integrated and inclusive urban development in urban peripheries; and
3. Support national programmes and governance structures to replicate local approaches.