Alice Amorim is the coordinator of the portfolio of Climate Policy and Outreach of ICS and a native of Rio. Alice has been using her social networks to talk about subjects that she would like to see discussed in the municipal elections of 2020. This is an invitation to learn about the posts, to share them, and maybe to do the same in your own cities, increasing the outreach and awareness. #eleicoes2020!

Post 1

All the children of this city should have the opportunity to enjoy a space like this on a sunny Sunday. There is no lack of parks in Rio, but care and maintenance are lacking in many of these public spaces. It is the usual story, the more people think that the (public) asset belongs to them and is not ‘nobody’s thing,’ the more they take care. Hopefully, in these elections we will discuss specific proposals to make Rio a friendlier city for ALL children. #eleicoes2020

Post 2

In these elections I want people to have the serenity to be able to talk about non-emergency things (like water, safety, and health …) to deal with, for example, electrical wiring. The Master Plan of Rio de Janeiro ordered the deadline of 2016 (amazingly) for all our cables to be underground. We know that we are far from complying with this target, but so what? Who wants to talk about this, except for the experts? This subject has different impacts that end up as emergencies because we neglect them on a daily basis. When it rains a lot, the poles and trees fall and people die electrocuted. Because there is no control, there is a significant theft of energy and this consumption is paid for by consumers in their electric bills. Of course, our city looks awful with all these cables hanging down. I want to be able to talk about how to deal with these petty bad things in our day to day existence, before they become the bad news story of the day. #eleicoes2020

Post 3

I see three significant challenges when talking about the metro in these municipal elections: 1- Defining the responsibility between the state and the municipality and whose fault it is if the plan does not leave the drawing board; 2- Succeeding in talking about significant long-term investment in transport in times of fiscal hardship; and 3- Dealing with the liability of incomplete investments and the object of greater political pressure (Gavea) vs. investments in routes with a greater positive social impact and less political pressure (São Gonçalo). I want people to confront these challenges so that, by the end of the next cycle (2024), there will be no more space to circulate this institutionalized improvisation known as the surface metro. #eleicoes2020

Post 4

How can we deal with abandoned animals on the streets? What is a good balance between guaranteeing a dignified life for these animals whilst being careful that public health is not harmed by the diseases they can transmit? I followed the journey of my maid wanting to castrate her dog at SUIPA, which is an NGO that provides services of public interest and is recognized by society. This photograph, taken at a children’s playground area, reminded me of toxoplasmosis, which is one of the diseases that is most feared by pregnant women and is known to be transmitted by cats. In these elections, I want know what the experts recommend and what Rio de Janeiro society can do better to deal with this issue. #eleicoes2020

Post 5

When I was a child and used to fantasize about work, I imagined myself working in 2 places: a newsstand and a video store. I thought that in this way I would be able to read all the daily newspapers and become a cultured and well-informed person. Video stores practically no longer exist, although newsstands continue throughout the city. Or have they changed their name because good newspapers are hardly sold anymore? When I look at this use of a public space, I wonder why don’t we have restrooms in their place? Or charging stations for mobile phones or a wi-fi point? I don’t know what would be more popular, but it is a discussion that will certainly not take place. What we need to do in these elections is look around and publicly debate the difference between what we have and what equipment we ought to have in these public spaces. # eleicoes2020

Post 6

In these elections we need to talk about adaptation to climate change. What does this mean in practice? What procedures need to be reviewed? What money needs to be allocated and how can the population prepare itself for disasters? A common mistake is to hear people commenting on climate change but only talking about patterns of temperature. The effects are much more diverse and reinforce a greater frequency of extreme events, such as the rainfall we saw today. Can you imagine how much it will cost to recover everything that is destroyed? We need to confront the problem and not to normalize the upheavals and losses that can be avoided. # eleicoes2020