NATURAL CAPITALISM

This report chapter explores the concept of "human capitalism," using the city of Curitiba, Brazil, as a primary case study to demonstrate how integrated, whole-system design can solve multiple social, economic, and environmental problems simultaneously. It argues against single-problem, single-solution approaches, advocating instead for a philosophy that treats citizens as a precious resource and leverages synergies between urban planning, transportation, and social services.

• The author argues that industrial capitalism often liquidates both natural and human capital for short-term gain, ignoring the unmonetized "social system services"—such as culture, wisdom, and honor—that are essential for a healthy society.
• Curitiba's urban transformation was driven by a shift away from car-centric planning toward a people-centered approach, beginning with the 1972 creation of Brazil's first pedestrian mall on the Rua Quinze de Novembro.
• The city implemented a high-capacity Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system using "tube stations" and articulated buses that achieve subway-level capacity at a fraction of the cost, significantly reducing commute times and fuel consumption.
• Curitiba integrated transportation with land-use zoning, allowing higher building density along bus axes and strategically placing low-income housing near jobs and transit to ensure affordable access.
• To manage flooding and protect water resources, the city replaced expensive channelization projects with a "design with nature" strategy, creating linear parks and lakes that serve as flood control and public recreation spaces.
• The city utilizes "Lighthouses of Knowledge"—small, neighborhood-based libraries—to provide education and safety, with some children receiving textbooks in exchange for recyclable garbage.
• Curitiba's Industrial City was planned to balance commercial growth with social needs, requiring firms to manage their own solid waste and providing integrated housing and services for workers.
• The city employs a strategy of "recycling" infrastructure, converting old buildings and buses into theaters, clinics, and mobile job-training centers known as Linha do Oficio.
• By 1996, Curitiba achieved significant social benchmarks, including a 95 percent literacy rate and a poverty rate one-third of the Brazilian national average, despite having a per-capita GDP only 27 percent of the United States'.

APA

RMI (n.d.). NATURAL CAPITALISM. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_NCchapter14.pdf

Chicago

RMI. NATURAL CAPITALISM. n.d. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_NCchapter14.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=NATURAL CAPITALISM |url=https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_NCchapter14.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmindnatural, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{NATURAL CAPITALISM}}, institution = {RMI}, url = {https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_NCchapter14.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }