NATURAL CAPITALISM

The text explores the concept of 'human capitalism,' which applies the principles of natural capitalism—resource productivity and loop-closing—to social systems. It focuses extensively on Curitiba, Brazil, detailing how the city avoided traditional, single-solution urban planning in favor of an integrated design process. Key achievements include a high-capacity bus rapid transit system that functions like a subway at a fraction of the cost, 'design with nature' flood control using linear parks, and social programs like the 'Green Exchange' that trade recyclable waste for food. The document posits that treating citizens as resources rather than burdens creates a sustainable, dignified urban environment.

• The document critiques 'single-problem, single-solution' urban planning, arguing that optimizing one element in isolation often worsens the overall system, citing 'Operation Cat Drop' in Borneo as an example of unforeseen ecological consequences from using DDT to fight malaria.
• Curitiba implemented a transportation system based on 'growth axes' using triple-length articulated express buses and 'tube stations' that allow for subway-like boarding efficiency. This system carries 20,000 passengers per hour per lane, matching subway capacity at a cost at least 100 times lower.
• To manage flooding and protect the Iguaçu basin drinking water source, Curitiba rejected expensive channelization in favor of 'design with nature,' creating linear parks and lakes that act as flood-control greenways and antipollution buffers.
• The city's 'Garbage That Isn’t Garbage' and 'Green Exchange' programs create a circular economy where recyclables are recovered to offset operating costs, and poor residents swap garbage for seasonal surplus produce, bus tokens, or school supplies.
• Curitiba's industrial strategy involved the pre-planned creation of an 'Industrial City' that integrated low-income housing, schools, and protected open space to ensure workers had affordable access to jobs and a high quality of life.
• The city utilizes 'Lighthouses of Knowledge'—small, brightly colored libraries—to provide education and internet access within walking distance of children's homes, often providing textbooks in exchange for recyclable garbage.
• Curitiba's approach to social integration includes 'build-it-yourself' housing for migrants, providing land, materials, and architectural consultation to avoid the creation of impersonal slums.
• The document defines 'human capitalism' as a sustainable society that adds ethics, jobs, and citizenship to traditional environmental goals, treating the citizen as the owner of public assets.

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} }