A construção de cidades e a poluição ambiental:

conexões analíticas entre o Distrito Federal e o Maranhão

Abstract

The current socio-environmental crisis experienced in the world points us to di erent situations where the most vulnerable populations su er with greater intensity the consequences of the existing power asymmetries in the relationship between development, environment and individuals in contemporary society. In this scenario, the study of Brazilian cities reveals pertinent diagnoses for understanding the unequal construction of urban space in its intimate connection with the degraded environment and the worst living conditions of those who live in places polluted by companies with great economic potential in the region in question. that are installed. To do so, we seek to demonstrate, through two case studies, the forms of public understanding about the risks arising from mining activities and their practices to deal with pollution in everyday life, or even create devices to solve the problem in question. We refer, therefore, to the problem of air pollution resulting from the production of cement in Fercal (DF) and that of contamination by pig iron in the neighborhood of Piquiá de Baixo, in Açailândia (MA). Using data from academic research and o cial sources on the socioeconomic pro le of Brazilian society, we raise the debate on urban transformations and social and environmental injustice in situational contexts of development in the country.