Identifying potential uses for green roof discharge based on its physical-chemical-microbiological quality.

Green roofs are promising tools in sustainable urban planning, offering benefits such as stormwater management, energy savings, aesthetic appeal, and recreational spaces. They play a crucial role in creating sustainable and resilient cities, providing both environmental and economic advantages. Despite these benefits, concerns persist about their impact on water quality, especially for non-potable use, as conflicting results are found in the literature. This study presents a comparative analysis of the quantity and quality of water drained from an extensive green roof against an adjacent conventional rooftop made of fiber-cement tiles in subtropical Brazil. Over a 14-month period, the water drained from both roofs was evaluated based on physical (turbidity, apparent color, true color, electrical conductivity, total solids, total dissolved solids, suspended solids), chemical (pH, phosphate, total nitrogen, nitrate, nitrite, chlorides, sulfates, and BOD), microbiological (total coliforms and E. coli), and metal (copper, iron, zinc, lead, and chrome) concentration parameters. The discharge from the green roof was 40% lower than its counterpart measured at the control roof, while the water quality from both roofs was quite similar. However, the green roof acted as source of chlorides, electrical conductivity, color, BOD, total hardness, E. coli, phosphate, sulfate, and turbidity. On the other side, the green roof neutralized the slightly acidic character of rainwater, showcasing its potential to mitigate the effects of acid rain. The study's results underscored that the water discharged from the green roof generally aligned with non-potable standards mandated by both Brazilian and international regulations. However, the findings emphasized the imperative need for pre-treatment of the green roof discharge before its utilization, specifically adjusting parameters like turbidity, BOD, total coliforms, and E. coli, which were identified as crucial to ensure water safety and compliance with non-potable use standards.

Planejamento urbano e adaptação climática: entre possibilidades e desafios em duas grandes cidades brasileiras / Urban planning and climate adaptation: between possibilities and challenges in two major Brazilian cities / Planificación urbana y adaptación climática: entre posibilidades y desafíos en dos grandes ciudades brasileñas

O objetivo deste artigo é investigar como as cidades de Natal e Curitiba têm incorporado a questão climática, com enfoque especial para a adaptação, em suas agendas urbanas, compreendendo como o planejamento urbano pode contribuir para a inserção da capacidade adaptativa climática local. Para isso, a metodologia apresenta uma abordagem de natureza qualitativa, utilizando as pesquisas bibliográfica, documental e de campo, com aplicação de entrevistas semiestruturadas, para o alcance dos resultados. Os dados coletados são analisados por meio da análise de conteúdo. A partir dos resultados obtidos, conclui-se que a incorporação da questão climática, sobretudo da adaptação, no planejamento e na gestão de Natal e de Curitiba ainda se apresenta como um grande e complexo desafio.

The aim of this paper is to investigate how the cities of Natal and Curitiba have incorporated the climate issue, with a special focus on adaptation, totheir urban agendas, understanding how urban planning can contribute to the insertion of local climate adaptive capacity. To that end, the methodology presents a qualitative approach, using bibliographic, documentary and field research, with the application of semi-structured interviews. The collected data are analyzed through content analysis. From the analysis and discussion of the results, we conclude that the incorporation of the climate issue, especially adaptation, in the planning and management of Natal and Curitiba still presents itself as a great and complex challenge.

El propósito de este artículo es investigar cómo las ciudades de Natal y Curitiba han incorporado el tema climático, con especial énfasis en la adaptación, en sus agendas urbanas, entendiendo cómo la planificación urbana puede contribuir con la inserción de la capacidad adaptativa climática local. Para eso, la metodología presenta un enfoque cualitativo que utiliza investigación bibliográfica, documental y de campo, con la aplicación de entrevistas semiestructuradas para lograr los resultados. Los datos recopilados son analizados por medio del análisis de contenido. Con el análisis y la discusión de los resultados se concluye que la incorporación del tema climático, especialmente la adaptación, en la planificación y gestión de Natal y Curitiba aún se presenta como un gran y complejo desafío.

Multi actor multi criteria analysis (MAMCA) as a tool to build indicators and localize sustainable development goal 11 in Brazilian municipalities.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted in 2015 to be a guideline to promote sustainable development through partnerships. Goal 11 was designed to improve the quality of life in cities however, confronted local governments with new challenges to delivery services and increase citizen participation. In this study, a conceptual framework was developed, and distinct indicators were analyzed to facilitate the implementation of SDG 11 in Brazilian municipalities. Two case studies were deployed based on the Multi-Actor Multi-Criteria Analysis (MAMCA) to guarantee stakeholder participation during the whole process. The results brought to light important challenges to urbanization at local levels. Also, the results suggest shifts in the ongoing model to evaluate the implementation of SDG 11 in Brazil. Governance, transparency and social participation were identified as critical issues to be addressed. Moreover, it will be necessary to adjust existing indicators and organize a consistent and frequent method to evaluate progress towards achieving SDG 11 targets at local levels. Integration of plans and policies related to climate change and disaster risk reduction represents another challenge to be faced by local governments. Finally, MAMCA can be a helpful tool to support local decision-makers to implement SDG 11 based on a multi-stakeholder view.

Urban metabolism: Measuring the city's contribution to sustainable development.

Urban metabolism refers to the assessment of the amount of resources produced and consumed by urban ecosystems. It has become an important tool to understand how the development of one city causes impacts to the local and regional environment and to support a more sustainable urban design and planning. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to measure the changes in material and energy use occurred in the city of Curitiba (Brazil) between the years of 2000 and 2010. Results reveal better living conditions and socioeconomic improvements derived from higher resource throughput but without complete disregard to environmental issues. Food intake, water consumption and air emissions remained at similar levels; energy use, construction materials and recycled waste were increased. The paper helps illustrate why it seems more adequate to assess the contribution a city makes to sustainable development than to evaluate if one single city is sustainable or not.

Gestão de resíduos sólidos em São Paulo: desafios da sustentabilidade / Solid waste management in Sao Paulo: the challenges of sustainability

O presente trabalho aborda o cenário brasilero, da Região Metropolitana de São Paulo e da cidade de São Paulo em relação à gestão integrada e sustentável de resíduos sólidos urbanos, apontando os principais avanços, retrocessos e desafios. Destaca-se o importante papel da universalização da coleta seletiva com inclusão de catadores de materiais recicláveis na cidade de São Paulo como estratégia para promover sustentabilidade socioambiental urbana.

This paper presents the scenario related to urban solid waste at the national level, metropolitan São Paulo and São Paulo pointing the main advances, backlashes and challenges. The emphasis is on the important role of the universalization of selective waste collection with the inclusion of waste pickers of recyclable materials within the city of São Paulo as a strategy to promote socioenvironmental urban sustainability.