Sustainability in Debate

Facing not-so-natural disasters

2021-08-16T15:31:18-03:00

SiD - Table of Contents / Sumário

2021-08-30T16:53:27-03:00

Table of Contents / Sumário

Land use and land cover changes in São Paulo Macro Metropolis and implications for water resilience under climate change

2021-02-18T17:11:25-03:00

The São Paulo Macro Metropolis (MMP) is a geographical arrangement that brings together the most significant Brazilian socioeconomic figures and faces numerous challenges, such as heavy pressure on natural resources. Through compilation, spatialization and cross-referencing of data, this work assessed time series of land use and land cover of the last decades, the water supply status in an urban environment and climate data projection for MMP. Municipalities with different profiles were identified: those with positive final balances and those with negative final balances about the maintenance of their natural areas. Furthermore, more than half of the municipalities of the MMP have low water supply assurance, which can be aggravated due to climate change, as predicted in several climate models. The characterization of municipalities based on this information allowed identifying which of them are the most vulnerable, and these results indicate paths for coordinated actions at local and regional levels to increase water resilience in the macro-region.

Assessment of photovoltaic generation, supply, and sustainability: a case study of municipalities in São Paulo state

2021-05-20T12:16:47-03:00

Energy consumption has been increasing together with population growth and the consequences for energy production widely generate discussions under the aspect of environmental outcome and supply reliability and quality. This paper proposes a methodology that allows the estimation of the potential for cities to be more independent in terms of centralized generation and distribution of electricity considering photovoltaic sources. Sustainability and environmental performance are also discussed. The methodology aims to assess some municipalities in the São Paulo state. The results showed high potential for photovoltaic supply in those municipalities under the considered conditions indicating the possibility for structuring a decentralized generation model where cities would be more independent in electricity supply. Implementing the required photovoltaic systems would return the energy consumed during their life cycle in a relatively short period compared to their expected lifetime.

Food and sustainability at university restaurants: analysis of water footprint and consumer opinion

2021-06-21T18:07:56-03:00

Objective: Analyze comparatively the sustainability of menus developed by two university restaurants (UR) in the State of Paraná using the water footprint (WF) and the opinion of diners as parameters. Methods: WF was calculated based on 46 menus in each unit and data on diners through questionnaires for 750 people analyzed with Mann Whitney and Pearson’s chi-square. Results: The highest WF averages were from omnivorous menus compared to vegetarians and UR2 had averages higher than UR1. As for the opinion of diners about UR1, there is greater satisfaction with prices, vegetarian options, and greater knowledge about organic and purchases of family farming (FF) products. Conclusions: Therefore, RU1 is closer to the assumptions of a sustainable diet than UR2, but both should review their menus concerning WF and carry out work with diners on food and sustainability.

Scenarios for oil palm expansion in degraded and deforested lands in the Brazilian Amazon to meet biodiesel demand

2021-02-23T17:26:19-03:00

Palm oil production for biodiesel in Brazil is characterized by its high productivity in some environmental conditions, under the Sustainable Palm Oil Production Program. The program seeks to avoid deforestation for oil palm cultivation, recover degraded lands, and focus on social inclusion and family farming. This paper assesses the possible socio-environmental impacts of the expansion of palm oil until 2030, focusing on land-use change and impacts. Land-use data came from the TerraClass initiative for the analysis of degraded forests using geoprocessing. We produced two oil expansion scenarios. The first one reflects current trends in palm oil production expansion and deforestation in Pará State (S1). The second one considers the exclusive use of deforested/degraded land for oil palm crops (S2). The results demonstrate that degraded/deforested land in the current palm oil-producing municipalities is only sufficient for the projected level of expansion for 2020, requiring a stronger public policy to recover degraded areas for oil palm cultivation with social inclusion of family farming.

Historical trajectory and resilience in an agro-extractive settlement project in the Lower Tocantins River, Pará, Brazil

2021-05-11T12:01:35-03:00

The São João Batista riverside community experienced a golden phase in the production of cachaça from sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.). It underwent a period of decay around 1975 and, in 2004, became an Agro-extractive Settlement Project (PAE), with an economic system based on the exploitation and commercialization of açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.). This study analyzes the resilience of PAE São João Batista, Abaetetuba, Pará, from the establishment of sugar cane mills to the transition of their economic system to the exploitation and commercialization of açaí. It was based on field research conducted with 141 riverside dwellers employing semi-structured interviews. The adaptive cycle was built up, from which resilience was analyzed. The growth of the açaí fruit market identifies the community's point of resilience. The sugar cane-açaí economic system transition enabled riparian populations to experience changes and to create conditions for reorganizing themselves as a settlement.

From the Roman Empire to Rio de Janeiro: society and models of sustainable water management

2021-07-26T18:46:25-03:00

The purpose of this article is to carry out a content analysis around the historical influence of ancient societies’ ideas regarding sustainable water management. Ancient civilizations developed models and practices for the drainage, intake and transport of rainwater and wastewater. Despite the Roman Empire and the Moorish domination, Lisbon maintained its characteristics until the formation of the Kingdom of Portugal, undergoing an urban and sanitary revolution, which lasted until the 19th Century, when the Portuguese Royal Family moved to Brazil. Rio de Janeiro was chosen as the capital of the Kingdom of Portugal, undergoing several alterations inherited from the models and practices of irrigation techniques, hydraulic engineering and architecture of Lisbon. Data compilation in electronic spreadsheets and the use of NVivo software facilitated organizing the information and conclude that sustainable management models can be replicated as an inheritance of ancient societies.

Classificatory disputes and scientific controversies: society, nature, and culture in the Anthropocene

2021-03-16T12:16:56-03:00

In general, the idea of Anthropocene refers to the set of socio-historical, ecological, economic, and technological transformations responsible for configuring a new stage of regulation and evolution of the planetary geological system. From its original proposition in the 2000s, this notion gained increasing repercussion, mobilizing different positions in multiple fields of scientific knowledge. This article aims to develop a critical analysis of some of the main concepts found in such debates, from the mobilization of three fundamental analytical categories: the concepts of Society, Nature, and Culture. In methodological terms, this is a literature review article based on qualitative and non-systematic bibliographic research. The analysis undertaken here indicates how the different approaches mobilized by the driving idea of Anthropocene result in theoretical movements that redefine the relationships between agency, structure, and social change in the historical context of modern industrial societies.

Structural model of university social responsability

2021-06-21T18:54:44-03:00

The study aims to analyze the University Social Responsibility (USR) policy implemented at the Michoacan State University (Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo - UMSNH) from the perspective of the university community. For that purpose, a Structural Equations Model in its variant of Partial Least Squares (PLS) was used from a theoretical/empirical construct on the USR. Five variables integrated into 17 indicators were used, obtained by a representative sample. The results are presented in two sections; a) USR performance at the UMSNH and; b) the role of each variable in the PLS model. It is concluded that the performance was regular and the Internal Management (IM) had a key impact on the model operation. In the management practice, this might help identify areas to improve the performance of this policy by sector and variables.

Impact evaluation based on benefit indicators (IEBBI): methodological proposal for agroecological farmers’ markets

2021-03-26T12:20:48-03:00

Farmers’ markets represent a growing strategy for the generation of food sovereignty and sustainability; however, little is known about their impacts in economic, social and environmental terms. The objective of this research was to develop a framework that would allow determining that impact. The resulting methodological framework includes 20 indicators divided into seven groups: proximity, profitability, perceived benefits, areas of opportunity, economic impact, social impact, and environmental impact. This methodology was applied in one agroecological farmers’ market in Mexico City. Among the results, the main benefits are linked to socioeconomic interaction, while environmental impact indicators are the least considered. This methodology can guide the design, implementation, comparison, and monitoring of this type of initiative in the medium and long term.

The resulting methodological framework is made up of 20 indicators divided into seven groups: indicators of proximity, profitability, perceived benefits, areas of opportunity, economic impact, social impact, and environmental impact. This methodology can constitute a guide to public policy in the design, implementation, comparison, and monitoring of this type of initiatives in the medium and long term.

Co-production of knowledge among rural women: paths to female recognition in rural areas

2021-06-08T14:21:39-03:00

This article explores the potential of dialogue networks as tools for valuing rural women and overcoming the traditional marginalization of rural women in the countryside. The guiding hypothesis is that when given opportunities to co-produce solutions in a participatory manner and an enabling environment, women can articulate and express their challenges and visualize desirable futures. The results confirm this hypothesis to the extent that women experience and execute these premises in the established spaces of dialogue. The recommendations are for the promotion of actions and policies that provide environments in which women can reframe their role in society and the family.