Catalyzing Investment in Urban Sustainability
U.S.-Brazil Joint Initiative on
Urban Sustainability

Policy

Local, State, & National Policy

"Green City, Clean Waters"

"Green City, Clean Waters" is Philadelphia's 25-year plan to protect and enhance the City's watersheds by managing stormwater primarily with innovative green infrastructure.

Brazilian National Solid Waste Policy

In 2010, Brazil finalized its National Solid Waste Policy, a cross-cutting law that aims to decrease the total volume of waste produced nationally and increase the sustainability of solid waste management from the local level to the national level.

Brownfield and Land Revitalization

Environmental policies combined with community development strategies can reduce environmental, public health, and financial risks by encouraging safe reuse of brownfields instead of the conversion of undeveloped land.

Brownfield Area-Wide Planning (BF AWP)

This policy approach seeks to maximize brownfield cleanup and revitalization efforts at multiple sites in a local area through community involvement, planning research, technical assistance, and public-private partnerships.

Construction and Demolition Materials Management

EPA's construction and demolition (C&D) materials management policies focus on safe, beneficial use of the debris generated during construction, renovation, and demolition of buildings, roads, and bridges in order to conserve landfill space, avoid the resource impacts of new materials, create jobs, and reduce new project expenses.

Environmental Job Training

Environmental Workforce job training policies encourage hiring of local residents in the area of environmental management and remediation and response, in partnership with local training service providers.

Green Streets and Alleys

Green streets and alleys can help local governments green their transportation network by managing stormwater runoff within transportation rights-of-way.

Organic Materials Management

U.S. EPA policy on organic materials management makes source reduction and food recovery priorities in order to achieve a wide range of benefits, including renewable energy production.

Pact for Sanitation

Designed by the Rio de Janeiro State Secretariat for the Environment (SEA), the Pact for Sanitation (Pacto pelo Saneamento) program aims to universalize public sanitation in Rio de Janeiro. In 2007, when the Pact was conceived, only about 60 percent of sewage was collected and only about 24 percent of that amount was treated.

Renewable Energy Development/RE-Powering Initiative

Electricity production will need to increase by nearly 30 percent over the next two decades to meet growing demand. As communities become more concerned about the environmental impacts of fossil fuels, renewable energy technologies will play a greater role in meeting future electricity demand.

Site Cleanup Incentives-Financial Policies

Numerous financial strategies exist to reduce risk and "level the financial playing field" between undeveloped land and previously used, often contaminated brownfield sites.

Transparency Policies and Public Reporting

Transparency policies and public reporting are considered essential to responsive and participatory governing structures.

Urban and Community Supported Agriculture on Former Brownfields

This policy approach promotes urban agriculture as a brownfield and land revitalization approach in under-served, "food desert" areas.

Used Electronics Management/Recycling

When used electronics are discarded unnecessarily and improperly, the result can be adverse human health effects for workers and the communities due to potential exposure to harmful substances such as mercury and lead, as well as environmental pollution detrimental to our ecosystems and quality of life.

Zero Waste Strategies

A "zero waste" goal recognizes that incremental improvements in resource efficiency may not enable us to reach a sustainable future in the way that a more comprehensive goal of eliminating waste can.