The BBC 's Paulo Cabral is in the Brazilian city known for nightmarish traffic jams on the roads and in the sky. Traffic gridlock is getting worse as more and more Brazilians drive. One option available to some commuters: take a helicopter to work.
Flooding has caused the death of at least 95 people in Rio de Janeiro, and more rain is expected in the next few days. The downpour is the worst in decades.
The Brazilian government is trying to cut carbon emissions and slow the rate of deforestation by paying local communities to stop cutting down trees. The hope is that a new, sustainable forest economy will help, in turn, to fight Brazilian poverty.