RESUMEN

The mismatch between the supply and demand of ecosystem services has become a critical cause of the decline of urban ecological security. Studying the supply-demand matching of ecosystem services and exploring its association with urban spatial governance are imperative for ensuring sustainable urbanization. Taking Suzhou City as a case, the supply and demand values and matching degrees of five selected ecosystem services were assessed. Additionally, we explored the relationship between ecosystem services and urban spatial governance, with a focus on urban functional zoning. The findings indicate that first, the supply value of water production, food production, carbon sequestration, and tourism and leisure fall short of the demand value, while the supply value of air purification exceeds the demand value. The spatial matching of supply and demand shows a typical circular structure, with areas in short supply predominantly located in the downtown area and its vicinity. Second, the degree of coupling coordination between the supply-demand ratio of selected ecosystem services and the intensity of ecological control is low. Urban functional zoning can affect the supply-demand relationship of selected ecosystem services, and intensified development efforts can exacerbate the mismatch between supply and demand. Third, research on the supply-demand matching of selected ecosystem services can facilitate the assessment and regulation of urban functional zoning. Urban spatial governance can be regulated based on land use, industry, and population, with a focus on achieving a better supply-demand matching of ecosystem services. Through the analysis, this paper is aimed to provide reference for mitigating urban environmental problems and formulating sustainable urban development strategies.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

This research proposes a collection of urban heat island (UHI) risk indicators under four UHI risk components: hazard, exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. There are 46 UHI risk indicators linked to three pillars of sustainability: social equity, economic viability, and environmental protection. In this study, the UHI risk indicators were first validated by experts to determine their relevancy and subsequently applied to randomly sampled dwellers of Thailand's capital Bangkok. The UHI indicators were further validated with confirmatory factor analysis to determine the factor loadings (0-1) and reliability. Under the hazard component, the percentage of days when the daily minimum temperature is less than the 10th percentile exhibited the highest indicator-level factor loading (0.915). Vehicular traffic was the UHI exposure indicator with the highest factor loading (0.923), and the proportion of green space to build environment was the UHI sensitivity indicator with the highest factor loading (0.910). For the UHI adaptive capacity component, the highest factor loading (0.910) belonged to government policy and action. To effectively mitigate UHI impacts, greater emphasis should be placed on the indicators with highest factor loadings. Essentially, this research is the first to use statistical structural equation modeling to validate UHI indicators.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Accurate information on urban forests of tree sizes, health state, community structures, and spatial distribution is still limited in African cities. Using a Google Street View (GSV)-based tree-size measuring method developed by our team, this paper aims to evaluate street trees of four African metropolitan cities using GSV data. The study compiled a large dataset with 46,016 street trees in 3454 sites in Kampala, Nairobi, Bloemfontein, and Johannesburg. The data including tree size (diameter at breast height, DBH; tree height, TH; underbranch height, UBH; canopy size), tree floristic composition (apical dominance types, broadleaf-conifer-palm leaf, flowering or not), tree health (leaf color, diebacks, dead tree, and bracket-supporting percent), streetside development (lane number, roadside shops, parking vehicle, and pedestrian density), and geolocation (latitude, longitude). These data can be spatially visualized with the help of ArcGIS, and the large dataset favors reliable maps from the street-view level. Data statistics showed that four cities were dominated by broad-leaved, apical dominance, and flowering trees, with a low level of unhealthy leaves and a tiny percentage of dead. The arbor-shrubs-herb structure vegetation dominated all four cities. Kampala had the most slender trees (DBH = 23 cm, TH = 8.4 m), while Nairobi and Johannesburg had the thickest trees (DBH = 38 cm, TH = 8.5-8.6 m). Bare land rates were lowest at 23% in Bloemfontein and highest at 33% in Nairobi. Principal analysis and Pearson correlations showed that these tree variations were closely associated with street development and local land use configuration. By comparing the urban tree data in other regions of the world, we found that the trees in African cities are generally giant but have a lower density (the trees within a 100-m street segment). Our findings emphasized that GSV data is feasible enough for urban forest monitoring in Africa, and the database is helpful for urban landscape planning and management.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in cities implementing lockdown measures, causing unprecedented disruption (e.g. school/shop/office closures) to urban life often extending over months. With the spread of COVID-19 now being relatively contained, many cities have started to ease their lockdown restrictions by phases. Following the phased recovery strategy proposed by the UK government following the first national lockdown, this paper utilises Greater London as its case study, selecting three main reopening measures (i.e., schools, shops and hospitality reopening). This paper applies sentiment analysis and topic modelling to explore public opinions expressed via Twitter. Our findings reveal that public attention towards the reopening measures reached a peak before the date of policy implementation. The attitudes expressed in discussing reopening measures changed from negative to positive. Regarding the discussed topics related to reopening measures, we find that citizens are more sensitive to early-stage reopening than later ones. This study provides a time-sensitive approach for local authorities and city managers to rapidly sense public opinion using real-time social media data. Governments and policymakers can make use of the framework of sensing public opinion presented herein and utilise it in leading their post-lockdown cities into an adaptive, inclusive and smart recovery.

RESUMEN

Informal settlements in Latin America express pandemic idiosyncrasies, calling global attention to historical problems related to a specific urbanization pattern. This article stresses COVID19 implications in the main urban planning canon: the notion of densification as an urban solution. Traditionally invisible social groups and territories acquire relevance, but now as a source of biological risk. Urban density appears as a contradictory trigger point, outlining new debates about informal settlements and their metrics. Evidence shows that trends in health discourse are striving to legitimize and enhance "urbicides" in this scenario, already underway through State action or inaction.

RESUMEN

In hazy days, several local authorities always implemented the strict traffic-restriction measures to improve the air quality. However, owing to lack of data, the quantitative relationships between them are still not clear. Coincidentally, traffic restriction measures during the COVID-19 pandemic provided an experimental setup for revealing such relationships. Hence, the changes in air quality in response to traffic restrictions during COVID-19 in Spain and United States was explored in this study. In contrast to pre-lockdown, the private traffic volume as well as public traffic during the lockdown period decreased within a range of 60-90%. The NO2 concentration decreased by approximately 50%, while O3 concentration increased by approximately 40%. Additionally, changes in air quality in response to traffic reduction were explored to reveal the contribution of transportation to air pollution. As the traffic volume decreased linearly, NO2 concentration decreased exponentially, whereas O3 concentration increased exponentially. Air pollutants did not change evidently until the traffic volume was reduced by less than 40%. The recovery process of the traffic volume and air pollutants during the post-lockdown period was also explored. The traffic volume was confirmed to return to background levels within four months, but air pollutants were found to recover randomly. This study highlights the exponential impact of traffic volume on air quality changes, which is of great significance to air pollution control in terms of traffic restriction policy. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00477-022-02351-7.

RESUMEN

Abstract Although it is a promising theory for understanding complex ongoing political processes, historical institutionalism has rarely been used to adress urban management and urban planning issues. We aim to (re)construct the trajectory of management and dissemination of communication and information technologies (ICTs) in Curitiba to identify critical junctures and events. Methodologically, it is a case study based on documents and discourse analysis. The results show that Curitiba used to be avant-garde in technological diffusion but today it develops more responsive than anticipatory actions; over time, the role of technology diffusion and management shifted from the urban management and planning structure to the direct municipal administration structure; technological initiatives have always taken place and are taking place sharply and decentrally for the consolidation of an ecosystem; the ideals of forming a digital or a smart city were motivators of Curitiba's current situation. The ideology underlying the game of politicians and party affiliations has been put aside in alignments of local groups to carry out technological adjustments; and that the management and diffusion of ICTs remain controversial in political disputes. The conclusion is that the political-technology dyad has absorbed the impacts of critical events, resulting in the remodeling of municipal institutions and organizations linked to the management and diffusion of ICTs that also need to deal with the game of interests and external pressures.

Resumen Aunque sea una teoría prometedora para comprender procesos políticos complejos en curso, el institucionalismo histórico ha sido poco utilizado en temas de planificación y gestión urbana. Así, el objetivo de este estudio es (re)construir la trayectoria de gestión y difusión de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación en el municipio de Curitiba para identificar coyunturas y eventos críticos. Metodológicamente, se utilizan los procedimientos de levantamiento documental y análisis del discurso. Los resultados muestran que Curitiba fue vanguardista en difusión tecnológica, pero hoy desarrolla acciones más responsivas que anticipatorias; con el tiempo, el papel de la difusión y gestión de la tecnología pasó de la estructura de gestión y planificación urbana a la estructura de administración municipal directa; las iniciativas tecnológicas siempre se han dado y se están dando de manera acentuada y descentralizada para la consolidación de un ecosistema; los ideales de formar una ciudad digital o una ciudad inteligente fueron motivadores de la coyuntura más reciente; la ideología que subyace al juego de los políticos y las afiliaciones partidarias parece haber sido dejada de lado en alineamientos de grupos locales para realizar ajustes tecnológicos; y que la gestión y difusión de las TIC sigue siendo controvertida en las disputas políticas. La conclusión es que la díada política-tecnología ha absorbido los impactos de los eventos críticos, lo que termina redundando en la remodelación de las instituciones y organismos municipales vinculados a la gestión y difusión de las TIC que también necesitan lidiar con el juego de intereses y las presiones externas.

Resumo Embora seja uma teoria promissora para compreender complexos processos políticos continuados, o institucionalismo histórico tem sido pouco utilizado em questões de gestão e planejamento urbano. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo é (re)construir a trajetória de gestão e difusão tecnologias de comunicação e informação do município de Curitiba para identificar conjunturas e eventos críticos. Metodologicamente, utilizam-se os procedimentos de levantamento documental e análise de discurso. Os resultados mostram que Curitiba foi vanguardista na difusão tecnológica, mas hoje desenvolve ações mais responsivas do que antecipativas; com o passar do tempo o protagonismo da difusão e gestão tecnológica se deslocou da estrutura de gestão e planejamento urbano para a estrutura da administração municipal direta; as iniciativas tecnológicas sempre ocorreram e vêm ocorrendo acentuada e descentralizadamente para a consolidação de um ecossistema; os ideais de formação de uma cidade digital ou uma cidade inteligente foram motivadores da conjuntura mais recente; a ideologia subjacente ao jogo dos políticos e das filiações partidárias parece ter sido posta de lado em alinhamentos dos grupos locais para realizar ajustes tecnológicos; e que a gestão e a difusão de TIC's se mantém controversa nas disputas políticas. A conclusão é que a díade política-tecnologia tem absorvido os impactos dos eventos críticos, o que acaba por resultar na remodelagem das instituições e organizações municipais ligadas à gestão e à difusão das TIC's que também precisam lidar com o jogo de interesses e as pressões externas.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

As the living tissue connecting urban places, streets play significant roles in driving city development, providing essential access, and promoting human interactions. Understanding street activities and how these activities vary across different streets is critical for designing both efficient and livable streets. However, current street classification frameworks primarily focus on either streets' functions in transportation networks or their adjacent land uses rather than actual activity patterns, resulting in coarse classifications. This research proposes an activity-based street classification framework to categorize street segments based on their temporal street activity patterns, which is derived from high-resolution de-identified and privacy-enhanced mobility data. We then apply the proposed framework to 18,023 street segments in the City of Boston and reveal 10 distinct activity-based street types (ASTs). These ASTs highlight dynamic street activities on streets, which complements existing street classification frameworks, which focus on the static or transportation characteristics of the street segments. Our results show that a street classification framework based on temporal street activity patterns can identify street categories at a finer granularity than current methods, which can offer useful implications for state-of-the-art urban management and planning. In particular, we find that our classification distinguishes better those streets where crime is more prevalent than current functional or contextual classifications of streets.

RESUMEN

Understanding the balance between supply and demand of ecosystem services (ESs) is helpful for sustainable urban management. However, the interactions among multiple ESs supplies and demands remain under-researched, and ESs supply and demand spatial heterogeneity and correlation characteristics at the city level are rarely studied, especially in arid areas. To fill this gap, we established a comprehensive assessment framework of ESs supply and demand through integrating multi-source remote sensing data, social economy, and policy objectives, for the oasis city of Urumqi, China. The ESs supply-demand mismatches were revealed at the city level, and the spatial relationship between the ESs supply and demand was analyzed using spatial statistics. The results demonstrated that: (1) The total quantity of supply and demand of food provision, carbon sequestration, PM10 removal, and recreation services in Urumqi revealed that the demand was greater than the supply, the deficits being 16.10 × 107 kcal/ha, 6.88 × 104 t/ha, 155.86 kg/ha, and 697.26, respectively. (2) The supply and demand assessment of ESs revealed spatial differences from the city center to the suburbs, which further indicated that there are neighborhood similarities between the supply and demand of ESs. (3) The matching types of ESs supply and demand present obvious spatial heterogeneity, which can be divided into four types: High-high, high-low, low-high, and low-low. Owing to rapid urban development in the inner city, the city center is dominated by low-high, whereas the urban-rural ecotone is characterized by high-low, owing to the higher elevation and water resource advantages in the suburbs. Based on the analysis of the supply, demand, and matching of ESs, economic development and sustainable management policies are proposed for different ecological spaces. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021;17:1293-1304. © 2021 SETAC.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

In recent years, the occurrence of floods is one of the most important challenges facing in Hamadan city. In the absence/inefficiency of urban drainage systems, rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems as low-impact development (LID) methods can be considered as a measure to reduce the floods. In this study, three scenarios concerning the RWH from the roof surfaces are studied to evaluate the type of the harvested water on reducing flooding. In the first scenario, which indicates the current situation in the studied area, it is indicated that there is no harvest of the roof surfaces in the studied area. The second scenario is about the use of water harvested from the roof surfaces for household purposes. The third scenario also refers to the use of harvested water for irrigation of gardens. The simulation results of these three scenarios using the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) method in the Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS) model reveal that if the second scenario is implemented, the runoff volume decreases from 28 to 12% for the return period from 2 to 100 years. However, in the third scenario, this reduction in runoff volume will be 48 and 27% for return periods of 2 to 100 years, respectively. Therefore, the results of this study indicate that the use of harvested water can also affect the reduction on runoff volume.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019 has meant an uphill battle for city management. However, due to deficiencies in facilities and management experience, many megacities are less resilient when faced with such major public health events. Therefore, we chose Wuhan for a case study to examine five essential modules of urban management relevant to addressing the pandemic: (1) the medical and health system, (2) lifeline engineering and infrastructure, (3) community and urban management, (4) urban ecology and (5) economic development. The experience and deficiencies of each module in fighting the pandemic are analyzed, and strategies for revitalization and sustainable development in the future are proposed. The results show that in response to large-scale public health events, a comprehensive and coordinated medical system and good urban ecology can prevent the rapid spread of the epidemic. Additionally, good infrastructure and community management can maintain the operation of the city under the pandemic, and appropriate support policies are conducive to the recovery and development of the urban economy. These precedents provide insights and can serve as a reference for how to change the course of the pandemic in megacities that are still at risk, and they provide experience for responding to other pandemics.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Growing interest in the concept of nature-based solutions (NBS) raises the question of its applicability as a broadly-understood approach to resource management and spatial planning. Although both the European Commission and United Nations consider the use of NBS as a vehicle to achieve numerous sustainability goals, the concept itself remains under-defined. We analyse the NBS concept against the background of classical water-ecosystem theories. We also review a range of potential contributions by NBS to various aspects of city management, resilience and adaptation. Finally we introduce the concept of a continuum of ecosystem service transfer across city management zones, with NBS acting as the medium, minimizing the net loss of regulatory services, and optimizing the cost-efficiency of solutions. We summarize with analysis of existing best practices in urban water management from the perspective of utilizing natural processes according to the supply and demand of services, and with a threefold target: enabling, restoring or preserving nature.

RESUMEN

In the last two decades, urbanization has intensified, and in Brazil, about 90% of the population now lives in urban centers. Atmospheric patterns have changed owing to the high growth rate of cities, with negative consequences for public health. This research aims to elucidate the spatial patterns of air pollution and respiratory diseases. A data-based model to aid local urban management to improve public health policies concerning air pollution is described. An example of data preparation and multivariate analysis with inventories from different cities in the Metropolitan Region of Curitiba was studied. A predictive model with outstanding accuracy in prediction of outbreaks was developed. Preliminary results describe relevant relations among morbidity scales, air pollution levels, and atmospheric seasonal patterns. The knowledge gathered here contributes to the debate on social issues and public policies. Moreover, the results of this smaller scale study can be extended to megacities.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Environmental justice efforts in the United States seek to provide equal protection from environmental hazards, such as air pollution, to all groups, particularly among traditionally disadvantaged populations. To accomplish this objective, the U.S. EPA has previously required states to use an environmental justice screening tool as part of air quality planning decision-making. The generally utilized approach to assess potential areas of environmental justice concern relies on static comparisons of environmental and demographic information to identify areas where minority and low income populations experience elevated environmental exposures, but does not include any additional information that may inform the trade-offs that sub-populations of varying socio-demographic groups make when choosing where to reside in cities. In order to address this limitation, job accessibility (measured by a mobility index defining the number of jobs available within a set commuting time) was developed as a novel environmental justice indicator of environmental justice priority areas at the local level. This approach is modeled using real-world data in Allegheny County, PA (USA), and identifies areas with relatively high levels of outdoor air pollution and low access to jobs. While traditional tools tend to flag the poorest neighborhoods for environmental justice concerns, this new method offers a more refined analysis, targeting populations suffering from the highest environmental burden without the associated benefits of urban living.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

RESUMEN Las problemáticas mundiales exigen distintas formas de abordar sus soluciones, para lo cual, se requieren nuevos cambios de perspectiva, que permita relacionar la dinámica interna de la urbe con su entorno natural. El objetivo de esta investigación fue aportar algunos elementos para analizar la relación ciudad-entorno. Se diseñó una metodología basada en el análisis de relaciones, con enfoque de sistemas y se aplicaron encuestas sociales. Se logró identificar once relaciones entre los sistemas de objetos y de acciones y, además, proponer tres estrategias con gradualidad en el tiempo, conducentes a un acercamiento a la armonía entre la ciudad y su entorno.

SUMMARY The global problems demand different ways to approach their solutions, for which new changes of perspective are required, which allows to relate the internal dynamics of the city with its natural environment. The objective of this research was to provide some elements to analyze the city-environment relationship. A methodology based on relationship analysis was designed, with a systems approach and social surveys were applied. It was possible to identify eleven relations between the systems of objects and actions and, in addition, to propose three strategies with gradualness in time, leading to an approach to harmony between the city and its surroundings.

RESUMEN

Waste pickers (WPs) play an indispensable role by helping to control municipal solid waste (MSW). However, they constitute the entry-level workforce of the waste recycling industry and receive little attention from the general public. In China, approximately 4 million WPs make their living by collecting MSW recyclable materials. To assess the role of WPs, an extensive social survey including urban management decision-makers, recycling industrial circle insiders, WPs, as well as common citizen respondents has been conducted in the city of Nanjing, China. The results confirmed that 70-80% of recyclable MSW materials were collected by WPs in the informal sector, which are an integral component of the waste recycling system. In Nanjing, the recyclable material collected annually by WPs is about 505,000 tons, which creates annual economic value of about 78.6-84.7 million USD. However, WPs account for only 6.8-7.3% of the entire industrial chain of the recycling economy. In Nanjing, WPs are able to save an annual MSW disposal cost of about 17.6-22.0 million USD. The resource recovery rate is also increased by 1.9-8.0%. The survey results support the experience of establishing a community-based semi-official picker organizational framework, accompanied by relevant laws, regulations, and preferential policies that would improve the resource recovery rate and pickers' living and working conditions in order to achieve more effective and hazard-free MSW resource utilization. It is anticipated that the results of this research will be instrumental for the improvement of the MSW recycling system and WP management in other cities in China and other developing countries.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

RESUMO: Nos últimos dez anos, o município de Campina Grande, Paraíba, foi beneficiado com inúmeros programas de urbanização em áreas de interesse social. Com a publicação da Lei nº 11.445/2007 (Lei do Saneamento), dada a centralidade que o saneamento ambiental tem na vida das pessoas, é fundamental que processos de Avaliação Pós-Ocupação sejam procedidos. Esta pesquisa objetivou avaliar a infraestrutura de saneamento em área de interesse social sob diversos cenários de urbanização. O caso de estudo foi a comunidade Novo Horizonte, localizada na zona sul do município, por se tratar de uma área urbanizada com recursos do Orçamento Geral da União. Propõe-se uma metodologia para a aferição da salubridade ambiental, na qual é definido um Índice de Salubridade Ambiental para a comunidade Novo Horizonte, composto por sete indicadores relacionados com o saneamento ambiental, a saúde pública e aspectos socioeconômicos. Os resultados mostraram que a urbanização não ocorreu na amplitude desejada e que dentre os indicadores analisados houve destaque para o abastecimento de água e os resíduos sólidos, enquanto os relacionados aos aspectos socioeconômicos foram os que apresentaram os piores resultados dentre os cenários pesquisados. A pesquisa constatou quão nefasta é a execução de uma obra de urbanização segmentada no tempo, e realizada por empresas distintas, sobretudo quando os serviços de esgotamento sanitário são realizados em um primeiro instante. Conclui-se que a efetivação de avaliação pós-ocupacional é necessária para realimentar os projetos de urbanização em execução, ou a executar, quer seja com recursos públicos ou privados.

ABSTRACT: For the last ten years, the city of Campina Grande, Paraíba, has been benefited from a large number of urbanization programs of social concern. With the Federal Act 11,445/2007 (Sanitation Act), considering that environmental sanitation plays a central hole for the population, it is essential the development of Post-Occupancy Evaluation processes. This research aimed to evaluate the environmental performance of social interest under distinguished scenarios of urbanization. The Novo Horizonte community was chosen as case study, located in the southern part of the municipality, because the Federal government sponsored its urbanization process. A methodology for the assessment of environmental health is proposed, which is defined in one Index of Environmental Health for the community Novo Horizonte, composed of seven indicators related to environmental sanitation, public health and socioeconomic aspects. The results showed that urbanization did not occur at the desired amplitude. Among the analyzed indicators, the ones for the water supply and solid waste were more evident, while those related to socioeconomic factors were those that presented the worst results. This research showed how harmful is the execution of a work of segmented urbanization in time, and carried out by separate undertakings, especially when sewage services are done in the first instance. It is concluded that the effectiveness of occupational Post-Occupancy Evaluation is needed to feedback the urbanization projects with funds from the public sector.

RESUMEN

This study aims at critically assessing the land management strategies that can be instrumental in bringing sound governance to urban landscapes in Africa with the view of mapping the potential, minimum conditions for success and constraints to doing so. This study is qualitative by approach and case study based by design, assesses practices in land management from a few cities (Nairobi, Abuja, Harare, Kigali, Johannesburg and Addis Ababa). Peculiarities and differences in the practices of land management in these cities is the basis for their purposeful selection. The evaluation of the land management practices in these cities is in terms of the current realities and the possibility for the acceptability of new, exotic but deemed sustainable urban land management styles. Noted strongly in this current discourse is that Africa is a region with varied of contexts requiring a critical assessment of issues before policy strategies are implemented in terms of land tenure, land administration corruption, political will and receptivity of the so-called foreign philosophies in urban land governance. The study recommends relevant training of the land and planning experts in Africa. In addition, there is general need to balance between 'place prosperity' with 'people prosperity' as they relate to land management noting that space and capital make the difference in sustainable human habitats' creation and management.

RESUMEN

Private sector involvement in solid waste management in developing countries has increased, but the effect is not always clear. This study assesses how it has been organized in five cities in Ghana, what has been its effect and what lessons for private sector development in developing countries can be drawn. Data were collected from 25 private companies and a sample of 1200 households. More than 60% of solid waste in Ghanaian cities is now collected by private enterprises. Sometimes, and increasingly, competitive bidding takes place, although sometimes no bidding is organized leading to rendering of this service and no contract being signed. Local governments and local solid waste companies have not changed to more customer-oriented delivery because of the slow pace of charging users and the resulting low rate of cost recovery. The participation of the population has been limited, which contributes to low cost recovery. However, a gradual better functioning of the system put in place is shown. We observed an increasing use of competitive bidding, signing of contracts and city-wide user charging.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Na “leitura” de uma cidade distingo infraestruturas físicas e sistemas de vida,a fim de avaliar se as primeiras dão suporte adequado às segundas. Para a abordagem e compreensão da cidade dou mais importância a aspectos antropológicos do que aos estatísticos. Para avaliar mobilidade urbana há que considerar três fluxos: os imateriais(informações), cargas (bens) e pessoas. Na de pessoas há expectativa de proximidade de embarque, pontualidade e conforto. Transporte público é sistema, do qual participam os diversos modais, inclusive o do pedestre. No futuro haverá mais locação do que propriedade privada do automóvel; e indústria de reciclagem dos elementos de carros usados. Deve o direito à mobilidade ser gratuito para o usuário ou ser por ele pago com subsídio? Políticas públicas deverão ter no urbanismo um processo de melhor gestão urbana, diminuir necessidade de deslocamentos, alterar o uso do carro, monitorar serviços com participação pública, sistematizar modais, garantir pontualidade e conforto do transporte.

When "reading" a city, I distinguish physical infrastructures from life systems in order to assess whether the former provide adequate support for the latter. To approach and understand a city, I attribute greater importance to anthropological than to statistical aspects. In evaluating urban mobility, we must consider three different flows: of intangibles (information), freight (goods) and people. Regarding the flow of people, the expectations are proximity to boarding points, punctuality and comfort. Public transportation is a system comprising various modes, including pedestrians. In the future, there will be more leasing than ownership of automobiles, as well as an industry devoted to recycling used cars parts. Should the right to mobility be free of charge to users or should they be made to pay, albeit with subsidies? Public policies must apply urban planning to improve urban management, reduce the need to commute, change car usage patterns, monitor services with governmental participation, systematize transportation modes, and ensure punctuality and comfort in transportation.

Asunto(s)