Respira Rio Festival transforms Avenida Chile into a preview of the future Low Emission District.

The City Hall held the Respira Rio Festival this Saturday (November 1st), taking over Avenida Chile with a series of free activities to offer Rio residents their first experience of the future Low Emission District (DBE). The initiative is part of the city's collaboration with Breathe Cities — a partnership between Bloomberg Philanthropies, Clean Air Fund, and C40 Cities — and uses air quality data and community contributions to build a healthier and more sustainable Rio.

During the event, Avenida Chile was transformed by art installations, new trees, and educational activities illustrating how the city center can become a greener and more pleasant space. The public could participate in workshops and sports activities, as well as watch performances by Baile Black Bom, a symbol of Rio's urban culture, and the maneuvers of freestyle football athlete Jonathas Bonela.

– The Respira Rio Fair is the result of an important partnership between the City Hall and the Breathe Cities initiative, to transform this region into a low-carbon district. We continue working to make the city more sustainable, innovative, with a higher quality of life and economic development for the people of Rio – said the Municipal Secretary of Economic Development, Osmar Lima.

Residents were also invited to share ideas about the future Low Emission District at public consultation booths and "Ask the Expert" stations, where they could learn more about the impacts of air pollution and the measures the City Hall is taking to combat it. The contributions collected at the festival will serve as the basis for the formal public consultation process that will define the DBE plans until 2026.

The Respira Rio Festival takes place on the eve of the C40 World Mayors Summit, part of the COP30 Local Leaders Forum, co-organized by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the COP30 Presidency — reinforcing Rio's leading role as a global example of local climate leadership.

Julia da Silva Rego, a 25-year-old environmental chemist and resident of the city center, participated in the event.

– Disseminating information is crucial so that more people understand environmental challenges and, together, we can seek solutions. I believe that initiatives such as tree planting and urban afforestation are fundamental. Furthermore, proper waste management and the adoption of sustainable practices, such as the use of public transport and awareness about fuel consumption, are relevant measures.

Low Emission District: Center with clean air

The Low Emission District will be the first of its kind in Brazil, covering approximately 2,3 km² of downtown Rio by 2030. The project is part of the Sustainable Development and Climate Action Plan (PDS) and the Reviver Centro Program, focusing on improving public spaces, encouraging residential use, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The proposal includes expanding bike lanes and green spaces, improving pedestrian safety, and encouraging the use of electric vehicles — promoting urban renewal focused on quality of life and public health.

About Breathe Cities

Breathe Cities is a global initiative created in 2023 by Michael R. Bloomberg, UN Special Envoy for Climate Ambition and Solutions, and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, co-chair of C40 Cities. The program aims to reduce air pollution and emissions that cause global warming by 30% by 2030 in participating cities, compared to 2019 levels.

The initiative integrates data on air quality, communities, and local governments to support concrete actions that save lives, prevent disease, and reduce emissions. It is estimated that achieving the program's goals could prevent 55 premature deaths, 111 new cases of childhood asthma, and 394 megatons of CO₂e, in addition to generating savings of US$147 billion in healthcare costs.

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November 1th, 2025

Appointments: C40 Cities City of Rio de Janeiro COP30 environment Revive Center