During the event Urban Thinkers Campus – held by UN-Habitat in Porto Alegre, in 2017 – actions to encourage green innovation in cities were shared. From the application of these actions together with those already being developed by the Municipality, Porto Alegre should receive the title of the most sustainable and innovative city in Latin America by 2030.
In Porto Alegre, we identified the concepts of sustainability as fundamental elements for the development of a city that becomes a reference in sustainable practices. Porto Alegre has several parks and conservation units, in addition to more than 600 urbanized squares. Among the main sustainable measures is the reduction of carbon footprint, the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory, the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Plan, which is under development, in addition to complementary measures such as the implementation of bio digesters in schools, sustainable rooftops, urban terrariums, urban gardens, environmental certification in buildings, revision of the Master Plan, among other actions.
Sustainability Challenges
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions has become an increasingly priority. In Porto Alegre, we seek solutions at all levels and scales to promote the mitigation of this problem. Our objective is to promote quality, sustainable spaces that awaken a feeling of belonging in people, the desire to participate and take care of a good that is for everyone. For this we develop projects focused on results, such as: Greenhouse Gas Inventory, Public-Private Partnership for the modernization of Public Lighting, Projeto Luz do Saber, or Bio digesters Project. In the municipality we are aware that we are still facing important sustainability challenges.
- Affordable Housing
Porto Alegre has the challenge of providing decent and sustainable housing, especially for the population that lives on the margins of large centers. The need arises from real and constant demands, such as the occupation of irregular underused areas and buildings, lack of adequate urban infrastructure in areas of irregular occupation, unfavorable environments for the healthy development of children and young people, in addition to climate conditions and environmental risks. The objective is to provide land tenure regularization in potential areas or the relocation of the population to projects with adequate infrastructure for development and social interaction.
- Equitable Waste Management
The sustainable treatment of waste contributes to sustainable development by increasing the useful life of landfills and the reduction of environmental pollution levels. It reduces the use of natural resources by saving energy and raw materials. If properly managed, solid waste acquires commercial value and can be used in the form of new raw materials or new inputs, bringing positive effects in the social, environmental and economic spheres, as it not only tends to reduce the consumption of natural resources, but also the opening of new markets generates work, employment and income, which leads to social inclusion.
- Revitalization of Buildings and Public Spaces
Bringing vitality to public spaces is a challenge for big cities. The conditions surrounding urban centers do not favor the connection of the population with the public facilities offered, given the difficulty of locomotion and the quality of spaces. The objective is to provide places of wellbeing and comfort between living and working places, creating new poles of social, economic and cultural development, increasing coexistence relationships and bringing the city closer to the human scale. To this end, equitable access to equipment and infrastructure should be offered, in order to promote urbanization that converges with the human scale.
