missed opportunities: sustainable mobility and the 2014 fifa world cup in brazil

2
Viewpoint Missed opportunities: sustainable mobility and the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil Acácia C.M. Malhado a,, Lindemberg M. Araujo a , Richard J. Ladle b a Instituto de Geografia, Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, UFAL, Av. Lourival Melo Mota, s/n, Tabuleiro do Martins, 57072-900 Maceió, AL, Brazil b Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, ICBS, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, UFAL, Av. Lourival Melo Mota, s/n, Tabuleiro do Martins, 57072-900 Maceió, AL, Brazil Infrastructure development is frequently cited as one of the most important reasons why countries and cities bid to host a mega-event (see, e.g., Black and Van Der Westhuizen, 2004; Guala and Turco, 2009; Hall, 2012; Horne and Manzenreiter, 2006; Saunders, 2010). However, infrastructure initiatives rarely receive the same media scrutiny as projects more directly associated with the event such as building new stadia (Bang, 2011). With just a few months before the next global sport mega-event, official data from Brazil paint a bleak picture for urban mobility at the next 2014 FIFA World Cup (FWC). Events are following a typical pattern of very ambitious objectives stifled by a startling lack of implementation. The Brazilian government’s rhetoric has been that it would imple- ment actions and investments in urban mobility to promote the articulation of transport and accessibility, providing broad access to participating cities in a socially inclusive and sustainable man- ner. The reality is that there has been a dismal lack of progress in planned urban mobility projects in host cities. In the first iteration of planning, US$ 6.2 billion was earmarked for ‘‘urban mobility’’ to improve the quality, accessibility, and availability of transport within host cities. However, recent investment stands at a paltry US$ 247.5 million (Tribunal de Contas da União, 2012). As of September, 2012, five urban mobility projects were still pending the signing of loan agreements. Of the 44 that had been funded, 38 had not received any money and the total amount transferred has been a meager 8.33% of the total funding available (Tribunal de Contas da União, 2012). Government Minister, Valmir Campelo, recently voiced fears that these mobility projects would be so hastily implemented that their very viability is questionable (Campelo, 2012). Moreover, the rush to implementation may lead to inevitable increases in expenditure, leading to a legacy that does not correspond to the fundamental needs of the population after the end of the games. Ten projects have already experienced a revi- sion of their final price estimation (>25%) when compared to initial budgets. Of the 50 urban mobility projects listed in the official 2014 FWC Responsibility Matrix, only 19 are currently running, only one project is more than 50% complete, and 11 projects are less than 5% complete. The remaining 31 projects are still in some stage of initiation, from tendering to hiring contractors (Ministério do Esporte, 2012). Due to the parlous state of Brazil’s current transport system, these infrastructure upgrades and improvements are of fundamen- tal importance (Erhart and Palmeira, 2006; Padula, 2008). For dec- ades, this sector has been neglected in Brazil, receiving inadequate support and investment, and with the majority of initiatives favor- ing private motorized transport over public transport. The net ef- fect has been an incremental worsening of the transport framework for host cities, seriously compromising their ability to improve their transport situation in a sustainable way. Indeed, re- cent protests and riots in Brazil’s major cities over proposed in- creases in public transit fares are just one indication of the political and economic fragility of the transport sector from the ur- ban majority’s perspective. Even if the proposed urban mobility projects for the forthcom- ing FWC finally get back on track, they should not be viewed as a panacea for the host cities transport problems. Some of the pro- jects clearly do not align with contemporary Brazilian attitudes and travel culture. For example, bicycle use as a mode of transport is strongly associated with lower income groups, and converting car users to bicycle users has proven difficult (Wang et al., 2013). Such a lack of alignment ultimately could lead to results that may be similar to many of the projects associated with the 2010 FWC in South Africa: chronic under-use and economic and envi- ronmental problems (Conn, 2013; Radnedge, 2012; Death, 2011). Indeed, given the similar macroeconomic indicators of South Africa and Brazil – huge income inequality and generally poor transport infrastructure – there is a high probability that the problems asso- ciated with the 2010 FWC will be repeated. Urban mobility was one of the weak points of the last World Cup (Melo, 2011), and this looks destined to remain an issue. A more productive strategy would have been to adapt the event to the available infrastructure (ECMT, 2003). Such a strategy would have required clear information on current capacity and limita- tions of the existing transport infrastructure. As Hiller (2006, 331) argued appropriately, after a mega-event the use of facilities needs to be ‘‘re-evaluated and integrated into the fabric of urban life and the needs of its residents.’’ Otherwise, the widespread transport problems that existed before the event would only be alleviated temporarily, returning to their previous state over the short- or middle-term. 0966-6923/$ - see front matter Ó 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2013.06.013 Corresponding author. Tel.: +55 82 8184 1411. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (A.C.M. Malhado), lmedeirosbr@ gmail.com (L.M. Araujo), [email protected] (R.J. Ladle). Journal of Transport Geography 31 (2013) 207–208 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Journal of Transport Geography journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jtrangeo

Upload: richard-j

Post on 23-Dec-2016

214 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Missed opportunities: sustainable mobility and the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil

Journal of Transport Geography 31 (2013) 207–208

Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect

Journal of Transport Geography

journal homepage: www.elsevier .com/ locate / j t rangeo

Viewpoint

Missed opportunities: sustainable mobility and the 2014 FIFA World Cupin Brazil

0966-6923/$ - see front matter � 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2013.06.013

⇑ Corresponding author. Tel.: +55 82 8184 1411.E-mail addresses: [email protected] (A.C.M. Malhado), lmedeirosbr@

gmail.com (L.M. Araujo), [email protected] (R.J. Ladle).

Acácia C.M. Malhado a,⇑, Lindemberg M. Araujo a, Richard J. Ladle b

a Instituto de Geografia, Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, UFAL, Av. Lourival Melo Mota, s/n, Tabuleiro do Martins, 57072-900 Maceió, AL, Brazilb Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, ICBS, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, UFAL, Av. Lourival Melo Mota, s/n, Tabuleiro do Martins, 57072-900 Maceió, AL, Brazil

Infrastructure development is frequently cited as one of themost important reasons why countries and cities bid to host amega-event (see, e.g., Black and Van Der Westhuizen, 2004; Gualaand Turco, 2009; Hall, 2012; Horne and Manzenreiter, 2006;Saunders, 2010). However, infrastructure initiatives rarely receivethe same media scrutiny as projects more directly associated withthe event such as building new stadia (Bang, 2011). With just a fewmonths before the next global sport mega-event, official data fromBrazil paint a bleak picture for urban mobility at the next 2014 FIFAWorld Cup (FWC). Events are following a typical pattern of veryambitious objectives stifled by a startling lack of implementation.The Brazilian government’s rhetoric has been that it would imple-ment actions and investments in urban mobility to promote thearticulation of transport and accessibility, providing broad accessto participating cities in a socially inclusive and sustainable man-ner. The reality is that there has been a dismal lack of progress inplanned urban mobility projects in host cities. In the first iterationof planning, US$ 6.2 billion was earmarked for ‘‘urban mobility’’ toimprove the quality, accessibility, and availability of transportwithin host cities. However, recent investment stands at a paltryUS$ 247.5 million (Tribunal de Contas da União, 2012).

As of September, 2012, five urban mobility projects were stillpending the signing of loan agreements. Of the 44 that had beenfunded, 38 had not received any money and the total amounttransferred has been a meager 8.33% of the total funding available(Tribunal de Contas da União, 2012). Government Minister, ValmirCampelo, recently voiced fears that these mobility projects wouldbe so hastily implemented that their very viability is questionable(Campelo, 2012). Moreover, the rush to implementation may leadto inevitable increases in expenditure, leading to a legacy that doesnot correspond to the fundamental needs of the population afterthe end of the games. Ten projects have already experienced a revi-sion of their final price estimation (>25%) when compared to initialbudgets. Of the 50 urban mobility projects listed in the official2014 FWC Responsibility Matrix, only 19 are currently running,only one project is more than 50% complete, and 11 projects areless than 5% complete. The remaining 31 projects are still in some

stage of initiation, from tendering to hiring contractors (Ministériodo Esporte, 2012).

Due to the parlous state of Brazil’s current transport system,these infrastructure upgrades and improvements are of fundamen-tal importance (Erhart and Palmeira, 2006; Padula, 2008). For dec-ades, this sector has been neglected in Brazil, receiving inadequatesupport and investment, and with the majority of initiatives favor-ing private motorized transport over public transport. The net ef-fect has been an incremental worsening of the transportframework for host cities, seriously compromising their ability toimprove their transport situation in a sustainable way. Indeed, re-cent protests and riots in Brazil’s major cities over proposed in-creases in public transit fares are just one indication of thepolitical and economic fragility of the transport sector from the ur-ban majority’s perspective.

Even if the proposed urban mobility projects for the forthcom-ing FWC finally get back on track, they should not be viewed as apanacea for the host cities transport problems. Some of the pro-jects clearly do not align with contemporary Brazilian attitudesand travel culture. For example, bicycle use as a mode of transportis strongly associated with lower income groups, and convertingcar users to bicycle users has proven difficult (Wang et al., 2013).Such a lack of alignment ultimately could lead to results thatmay be similar to many of the projects associated with the 2010FWC in South Africa: chronic under-use and economic and envi-ronmental problems (Conn, 2013; Radnedge, 2012; Death, 2011).Indeed, given the similar macroeconomic indicators of South Africaand Brazil – huge income inequality and generally poor transportinfrastructure – there is a high probability that the problems asso-ciated with the 2010 FWC will be repeated. Urban mobility wasone of the weak points of the last World Cup (Melo, 2011), and thislooks destined to remain an issue.

A more productive strategy would have been to adapt the eventto the available infrastructure (ECMT, 2003). Such a strategy wouldhave required clear information on current capacity and limita-tions of the existing transport infrastructure. As Hiller (2006,331) argued appropriately, after a mega-event the use of facilitiesneeds to be ‘‘re-evaluated and integrated into the fabric of urbanlife and the needs of its residents.’’ Otherwise, the widespreadtransport problems that existed before the event would only bealleviated temporarily, returning to their previous state over theshort- or middle-term.

Page 2: Missed opportunities: sustainable mobility and the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil

208 A.C.M. Malhado et al. / Journal of Transport Geography 31 (2013) 207–208

To conclude, if urban mobility projects associated with the 2014FWC follow their current trajectory, Brazil will be left with its out-dated and largely ineffective urban transport systems. This wouldbe a missed opportunity on an enormous scale. Properly andpromptly implemented, the planned improvements in urbanmobility have the potential to contribute significantly to the eco-nomic regeneration of host cities, encourage (inter)national invest-ment, and provide significant environmental improvements. It istoo early to say what might be the long-term transport legacy ofthe next FIFA World Cup. However, based on current progress,improvements to transport infrastructure are unlikely to matchpolitical rhetoric and may, at worst, do very little to promote (ur-gently needed) sustainable mobility in the host cities.

References

Bang, S., 2011. New International Study Scrutinises Mega-Event Stadiums. Home forHomeless Questions in Sport: Play the Game Conference Magazine 2011, p. 4.<http://www.playthegame.org/fileadmin/documents/PtG_magazine_2011_web.ptg.pdf>.

Black, D., Van Der Westhuizen, J., 2004. The allure of global games for ‘semi-peripheral’ polities and spaces: a research agenda. Third World Quarterly 25 (7),1195–1214.

Campelo, V., 2012. Copa do Mundo de 2014: Resultados e demais açõesfiscalizatórias das ações de auditoria do TCU nas obras de mobilidade urbanapara o mundial de futebol. Arquivamento Diário Oficial da União: DOU, ata 50 –Plenário de 05.12.12.

Conn, D., 2013. South Africa Plays Host again but World Cup Legacy Still inQuestion. The Guardian, 18th January. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2013/jan/18/south-africa-africa-cup-of-nation>.

Death, C., 2011. Greening the 2010 FIFA World Cup: environmental sustainabilityand the mega-event in South Africa. Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning13 (2), 99–117.

ECMT (European Conference of Ministers of Transport), 2003. Transport andExceptional Public Events. Report of the 122nd Round Table on Transport

Economics. Paris, France. <http://internationaltransportforum.org/pub/pdf/03RT122.pdf>.

Erhart, S., Palmeira, E.M., 2006. Análise do Setor de Transporte. Observatorio de laEconomía Latinoamericana 71. <http://www.eumed.net/cursecon/ecolat/br/06/semp.htm>.

Guala, A., Turco, D.M., 2009. Resident perceptions of the 2006 Torino Olympic Games,2002–2007. Sports Management International Journal 5 (2), 21–42.

Hall, C.M., 2012. The political analysis and political economy of events. In:Page, S., Connell, J. (Eds.), A Handbook of Events. Routledge, London, pp.186–201.

Hiller, H., 2006. Post-event outcomes and the post-modern turn: the Olympics andurban transformations. European Sport Management 6 (4), 317–332.

Horne, J., Manzenreiter, W., 2006. An introduction to the sociology of sports mega-events. The Sociological Review 54 (s2), 1–24.

Melo, L.M., 2011. Experiences from World Cup 2010 in South Africa – First Thoughtsabout Implications for Brazil 2014. International Sportevents im Umbruch?Economics Institute: Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro. <http://www.ie.ufrj.br/datacenterie/pdfs/seminarios/pesquisa/texto1904.pdf>.

Ministério do Esporte, 2012. Copa do Mundo de 2014: Matriz de responsabilidades.<http://www.portaltransparencia.gov.br/copa2014/saibamais.seam?textoIdTexto=24>.

Padula, R., 2008. Infra-estrutura I: Transportes – Fundamentos e propostas para oBrasil. Pensar o Brasil – Construir o Futuro da Nação. Coronário Editora Gráfica,Brasília.

Radnedge, K., 2012. South Africa 2010: Questions over the Legacy Persist. WorldSoccer Daily, 13th December. <http://www.worldsoccer.com/columnists/south-africa-2010-questions-over-the-legacy-persist>.

Saunders, G., 2010. South Africa’s national tourism plan: imperatives to managetourism beyond 2010. In: van Lill, D. (Chair), Report of the Portfolio Committeeon Tourism, Sport and Mega-Events Summit. International Colloquium onMega-event Sustainability. South African Ministry of Tourism & United NationsWorld Tourism Organisation, Johannesburg.

Tribunal de Contas da União, 2012. Relatório Copa do Mundo de 2014. Acórdão3.134/2012-Plenario. Avaliação do panorama das ações de governo para omundial nas áreas de mobilidade urbana, aeroportuária, estádios e turismo.<http://portal2.tcu.gov.br/portal/page/portal/TCU/imprensa/noticias/noticias_arquivos/017.603-2012-9-%20Copa.pdf>.

Wang, X., Zhang, D., Vaz de Magalhães, D.J.A., 2013. Using Bicycles for DailyCommuting in Belo Horizonte, Brazil: Assessment of user Willingness Levelwith Spatial and Heterogeneity Considerations. Transportation Research Board:92nd Annual Meeting. No. 13-2846. <http://amonline.trb.org/2vdcro/2vdcro/1>.