Adressing socio-environmental vulnerabilities in Rio de Janeiro

Challenges and perspectives for the Master Plan

Abstract

Brazilian cities face deep socio-spatial inequalities, exacerbated by climate change and the weakness of environmental guidelines in urban planning. In Rio de Janeiro, these vulnerabilities are particularly acute in high-risk areas historically neglected by public policies. This article examines how the Master Plan of 2024 incorporates strategies to address the city's socio-environmental fragilities from the perspective of social justice and the right to the city, aiming to improve the plan. A qualitative approach was adopted, combining a literature review, normative analysis of the Master Plan, a comparative study of planning legislation from other Brazilian capitals, and the proposition of enhancements. The results indicate that, although the new legislation incorporates relevant concepts, its effectiveness is undermined by the recurrent delegation of provisions to future regulations, creating a gap between planning guidelines and territorial implementation. The main contribution of the study is to highlight this normative gap as a barrier to environmental justice, reinforcing the urgency of detailing and operationalizing the guidelines to ensure concrete action. It concludes that strengthening environmental directives in master plans is essential to ensuring socio-spatial justice and urban resilience in the face of climate emergencies.