Side Event

Biocultural Diversity in Cities: Mainstreaming policies in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the context of Olympics Games

Organizer
IFRJ - Rio de Janeiro Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology

Date and Time
7 October 2014 18:15 - 19:45

Meeting
Twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity

This side event seeks to contribute to the debate on implementation and effectiveness of the international regime on biocultural diversity at the local level. Firstly, it focuses on the relationship between nature and culture in cities and the role of culture in sustainability, particularly regarding cultural landscapes. It then describes the international legal framework related to biocultural diversity, which establishes rights and obligations regarding diversity. The city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil was selected as a case study, because it holds a UNESCO World Heritage (Cultural Landscape) site, which is under drivers of pressure, such as developing policies and urban development brought about by the city’s hosting of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Olympic Summer Games. Therefore, the side event will show how the city of Rio mainstreamed the policies for biocultural diversity at local level, but also the challenges in its implementation in the context of sports mega events."