HOW THE GOVERNMENT OF BRAZIL CAN MAKE BRAZILIAN CITIES SUSTAINABLE AND SMART

Fernando Alcoforado*

This article aims to present how the Brazilian government can make Brazilian cities environmentally sustainable and smart. The city will reach the condition of sustainable when it is contributing to the well-being of its population, which is its main objective without harming the environment. Every city reaches the condition of smart city when its managers consider it as a system and make use of information technology in its planning and control process, counting on the effective support of its population.

1. How to make Brazilian cities sustainable

Sustainable cities are those that have an economic and social development policy compatible with the natural environment. To achieve the condition of sustainability, the contemporary city must promote the social well-being of its population by providing water supply and energy supply, industrial inputs and food in quantity and quality for its population, ensuring adequate collection and final disposal and the recycling of domestic and industrial solid waste, treating solid and liquid waste, carrying out basic sanitation throughout the urban space, monitoring and adopting measures to mitigate air, soil and water pollution, providing public urban transport modern and quality, maintaining the entire urban space for the benefit of the population, offering quality public health and education services to the entire population and promoting the conditions for generating employment and income, as well as obtaining their own homes for the entire population.

By promoting the social well-being of its population, a sustainable city must also have clear and comprehensive sanitation, garbage collection and treatment policies; water management, with collection, treatment, economy and reuse; transport systems that favor mass transport with quality and safety; actions that preserve and expand green areas and the use of clean and renewable energies; and, above all, transparent public administration shared with organized civil society. Sustainable cities must be guided by the planning and control of land use, in order to avoid the degradation of natural resources. What characterizes a sustainable city is also the right of the population to urban land, housing, environmental sanitation, urban infrastructure, transportation and public services, work and leisure, for current and future generations [1 ].

By pursuing the well-being of their populations, sustainable cities also need to collaborate, in the contemporary era, with facing the problems of global warming, which can lead to catastrophic climate change on a planetary scale, eliminating or reducing their greenhouse gas emissions greenhouse in its activities and must be prepared to face extreme events such as floods and rising sea levels. Sustainable cities need to have a climate change adaptation plan, especially those subject to extreme events. Coastal cities, for example, must plan against the foreseeable rise in sea levels and be concerned about slope landslides, flooding, etc., resulting from inclement rainfall [2].

Arcadis, the Dutch consulting, engineering and management company that emerged in Amsterdam in 1868, has launched the 2015 Sustainable Cities Index, which ranks the 50 most sustainable cities in the world. The index was calculated by the Center for Economics and Business Research considering the social (people), environmental (planet) and economic (profit) factors that make a sustainable city. In the top positions of the ranking are well-developed European cities such as Frankfurt, followed by London, Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The cities of Seoul, Hong Kong and Singapore also feature prominently, rounding out the Top 10 with Berlin and Madrid [3].

Exame magazine published the article The 100 most sustainable cities in the world in 2022 [4]. It was informed that, since 2015, Arcadis, a consultancy and sustainable design and engineering solutions company, publishes an annual list of the most advanced cities in sustainability in the world. For Arcadis, a city works based on sustainable development, if it acts in such a way that its three pillars - Social, Economic and Environmental - coexist and interact with each other fully.?Sustainable Cities 2022 evaluated 100 cities in 47 countries, based on 26 indicators organized under the three pillars of sustainability, Social, Economic and Environmental, described below:

? Social

The first pillar concerns the city's contribution to achieving the well-being of the population and satisfying their needs.

? Economic

The second pillar concerns the city's contribution to creating conditions for it to be able to consume, produce, distribute and offer its products or services in a way that meets the needs of the population and the productive sector.

? Environmental

The third pillar concerns valuing natural resources, minimizing the environmental damage that can be caused by productive activities as much as possible, in addition to avoiding possible waste in day-to-day work. As practices of this pillar, we can mention the use of renewable raw materials, the reuse of water and even the recycling and use of waste.

The Norwegian capital, Oslo, leads the overall Sustainable Cities 2022 index. Stockholm (Sweden), Tokyo (Japan), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Berlin (Germany) complete the top five positions on the list of sustainable cities. Figure 1 presents the top 20 sustainable cities in the world. The analysis of Figure 1 shows that, with the exception of Tokyo, the top 20 is occupied only by European and North American cities, with emphasis on the Scandinavian ones, which hold three places in the top five positions. The best placed Brazilian city in the general evaluation is S?o Paulo, in 84th position.

About Oslo, the number 1 sustainable city in the world, with a population of around 650,000 inhabitants, it has historically always had a strong environmental concern and has intensified these efforts in recent years. In the transport sector, for example, since the 1990s, the population has been encouraged to use electric vehicles. Today, Oslo is a world leader in electric mobility and intends to reach 100% of electric cars in 2025. At the same time, large investments are being made in public transport, cycling infrastructure and waterways. Waste management is another strength in Oslo. In addition to a complete selective collection service and a series of recycling programs, the municipality is the first to test carbon capture and storage through waste incineration. Waste management is a global challenge that currently generates huge greenhouse gas emissions because large volumes of waste are deposited in landfills in the vast majority of cities. Recovering energy contained in these wastes using carbon capture is part of the solution. It is predicted that Oslo will become a carbon negative city from 2030 with the climate strategy that establishes that the city will become practically without greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030, with a 95% reduction in emissions compared to 2009 and 52% less in 2023. The intention is to contribute to reducing the amount of GHG in the atmosphere through biological means and industrial carbon capture and storage. A 10% reduction in total energy consumption is still projected by 2030 compared to 2009. And resilience is being built to withstand the impacts of climate change expected by 2100, with adaptation measures such as green roofs and run-off spaces water to fight floods.

Figure 1- The 20 largest sustainable cities in the world

Source: https://exame.com/negocios/100-cidades-sustentaveis-mundo-2022/?

In Brazil, the ranking of the most sustainable cities in the country was published in an article by Marcia Sousa under the title Ranking of the most sustainable cities in Brazil, published on the Archdaily website [5]. Cities were ranked by overall score, which measures overall progress towards meeting all 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). The score ranges from zero to 100, with 100 being the maximum limit and indicating excellent performance in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals. S?o Caetano do Sul, in ABC Paulista, is at the top of the ranking of sustainable cities in the country because, in a score from zero to 100, S?o Caetano reached 65.62, a value that is enough to guarantee the first place. The unprecedented survey reveals that the city already known for leading the HDI (Human Development Index) in Brazil is now the first among the 5,570 Brazilian municipalities in relation to the UN SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) practices, which are described below. [6]:

1. Poverty eradication - End poverty in all its forms, everywhere.

2. Zero Hunger and Sustainable Agriculture - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.

3. Health and well-being - Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.

4. Quality education - Ensure inclusive, equitable, quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

5. Gender Equality - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

6. Clean water and sanitation - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

7. Clean and Affordable Energy - Ensure access to cheap, reliable, sustainable and renewable energy for all.

8. Decent work and economic growth - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.

9. Innovation and Infrastructure - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.

10. Reducing inequalities - Reduce inequalities within and between countries.

11. Sustainable Cities and Communities - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

12. Responsible consumption and production - Ensure sustainable production and consumption patterns.

13. Action on Global Climate Change - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

14. Life in the water - Conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.

15. Life on Earth - Protect, restore and promote the sustainable use of Earth's ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse Earth degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

16. Peace, justice and effective institutions - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

17. Partnerships and Means of Implementation - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

Data on the 5,570 Brazilian municipalities are in the first Performance Map of Brazilian municipalities, which take into account the 17 sustainable development goals to be achieved by 2030. In the top 10, all cities are part of the state of S?o Paulo. They are: S?o Caetano do Sul, Jundiaí, Valinhos, Saltinho, Taguaí, Vinhedo, Cerquilho, Sert?ozinho, Limeira and Borá. S?o Caetano do Sul has been working to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals for a long time. The Government Plan of S?o Caetano do Sul was guided by actions that prepare the city for the future, with the use of a lot of technical management, high technology and governance, which guarantee the social and economic development of the municipality that already has the best Index of Human Development (HDI) of Brazil and is on the way to further improve the quality of life of its residents.

Every smart city requires the use of information technology with the use of various devices connected to the IoT (Internet of Things) network to rationally manage city operations and services and connect with its citizens [7]. The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a technological revolution that aims to connect everyday used items to the world wide web and is one of the main global trends its use in the administration of a city because it is applicable in solutions ranging from monitoring public lighting, monitoring pedestrians, cyclists, motor vehicles, public transport, education and health services, among others. The applications of the Internet of Things are almost endless. In addition, IoT will lead to a reduction in the waste of public resources in cities. Driven by the rise of 5G Internet, IoT devices can bring benefits to people, businesses and the public sector. But it is worth mentioning that, to be considered an IoT solution, the administration system of a city needs to have three characteristics: 1) receive digital data originating from sensors; 2) connect to an external network; and, 3) process information automatically, that is, without human intervention [8].

Information technology allows city managers to interact directly with their executing agencies and with the population and monitor what is happening in the city and how the city is evolving in real time. Information technology should be used to improve the quality, performance and interactivity of urban services, reduce costs and resource consumption and increase contact between citizens and government. A smart city can be better prepared to respond to the challenges faced by its managers and its population. Every city will reach the condition of smart city when the goals of humanization of the city are achieved with the improvement of the quality of life for the entire population, of sustainable development of the city and of democratization of government decisions with the participation of the entire population.

Among the world's smart cities, the following stand out: 1) Amsterdam, which has, since 2009, an interconnected platform through wireless devices to improve the city's decision-making abilities in real time, reduce traffic, save energy and improve public safety; 2) Copenhagen, which in 2014 won the prestigious World Smart Cities Award for its smart city development strategy aimed at improving air quality, livability and traffic flow; 3) Dubai, which has a project to make it a smart city in 2030, with initiatives in transport that include driverless vehicles, digitalization of government, business and customer transactions; and, 4) Stockholm, which aims to create a green IT framework to reduce environmental impact, increase energy efficiency of buildings and traffic monitoring, among other goals [1].

According to IESE Cities in Motion (ICIM), New York, Tokyo and London top the list of smartest cities in the world [9]. The focus of IESE's research is on the traditional use of technology, in which Tokyo excels. But in terms of sustainability, the Japanese capital is not that smart, losing to big cities like London and Barcelona. The ranking made by IMD-SUTD is considered more refined, since the universities of Switzerland and Singapore analyze how technology improves the daily lives of citizens, also taking into account social data and surveys of people's perception. According to this ranking, Singapore is in first place, followed by Zurich and Oslo.

In Brazil, according to the Connected Smart Cities 2021 ranking, by Urban Systems, the cities of Curitiba, Florianópolis and S?o Paulo lead the list of smartest cities in the country [10]. In this ranking, indicators of mobility, economy, education, health, environment, urbanism, energy, technology and innovation, entrepreneurship and governance are analyzed. In the area of Urbanism, for example, Curitiba was the highlight. As for mobility and accessibility, S?o Paulo ranked first. In the technology and innovation segment, Rio de Janeiro ranked first.

Connected Smart Cities Ranking 2022

1. Curitiba (PR)

2. Florianópolis (SC)

3. S?o Paulo (SP)

4. S?o Caetano do Sul (SP)

5. Campinas (SP)

6. Brasilia (DF)

7. Victory (ES)

8. Niteroi (RJ)

9. Salvador (BA)

10. Rio de Janeiro (RJ)

The municipality of S?o Caetano do Sul has made progress in relation to the drop in maternal and child mortality, mortality from AIDS, incidence of dengue, application of the municipal budget in Health, detection of hepatitis, among others. In S?o Caetano do Sul, the average expenditure on public health is R$ 2,300 per inhabitant, almost double the national average, which is R$ 1,300. Some Sustainable Development Goals such as Renewable and Accessible Energy, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, and Protection of Marine Life were 100% achieved. The entire population of S?o Caetano do Sul has access to electricity, treated water and selective garbage collection. 100% of sewage is collected and treated. In addition, investments in quality education ensured the seal of Municipality Free of Illiteracy and constant advances, with internet access in all schools, continuous training of teachers and adequate infrastructure.

2. How to make Brazilian cities smart

Every city reaches the condition of smart city when its managers consider it as a system and make use of information technology in its planning and control process, counting on the effective support of its population. Curitiba's good position in the ranking did not come as a surprise to city managers. The municipality is a pioneer in the adoption and development of projects focused on sustainability, technology and entrepreneurship. It is noteworthy, for example, that the city was the first in the world to test an intelligent light fixture with integrated 5G antennas and initiatives for the dissemination of renewable energies. However, the greatest symbol of development is Vale do Pinh?o, a program created by the city of Curitiba, through Agência Curitiba de Desenvolvimento S/A, which aims to strengthen the environment for innovation, entrepreneurship, creative economy and technology in the city. This is a project aimed at universities, research centers, startups and other social actors.

Currently, the Vale do Pinh?o program is divided into five pillars: urbanization and development, education and entrepreneurship, integration and articulation, tax incentives and, finally, technology. From this conjuncture emerged initiatives such as the law of innovation, the law of antennas, the law of economic freedom, the lighthouses of knowledge project and the municipal council of technology and innovation. In his perspective, however, the greatest lesson from Curitiba is the union of the public sector, universities and governance to make decisions that affect the lives of the population.

3. Conclusions

What characterizes a sustainable and smart city? Being sustainable means that the city guarantees the population's right to urban land, housing, environmental sanitation, urban infrastructure, transportation and public services, work and leisure, for current and future generations and the population's right to Decide on the fate of your city. Being a smart city means using information technology to facilitate city management with the collaboration of the population and counting on their participation in decision-making. The future of cities and their populations depends, therefore, on what is done in the sense of adopting a new management model with the use of information technology, promoting the improvement of the quality of life for the entire population, promoting the sustainable development of the city and promote the democratization of government decisions with the participation of the entire population.

Sustainable cities are the key to achieving social well-being for their populations and achieving climate goals for the entire planet that contribute to avoiding catastrophic global climate change. Considering that more than half of the world's population lives in cities and, by 2050, the projection is that this measure will rise to two thirds, in this context, Arcadis points out in the Sustainable Cities Index 2022 that, at the same time that cities contribute to feeding some of our biggest challenges, such as the climate crisis, sustainable cities can also be the solution to avoid catastrophic global climate change. UN Habitat estimates indicate that while cities represent only less than 2% of the Earth's surface, they consume 78% of the world's energy and produce more than 60% of the planet's greenhouse gas emissions. However, recalls the UN Habitat report, it is in cities where people come together to find innovative solutions to humanity's problems and where new paths for the future will be tested and improved. In turn, smart cities will make sustainable cities leverage their actions in achieving the well-being of their populations and in facing global climate change.

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* Fernando Alcoforado, awarded the medal of Engineering Merit of the CONFEA / CREA System, member of the Bahia Academy of Education, of the SBPC- Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science and of IPB- Polytechnic Institute of Bahia, engineer and doctor in Territorial Planning and Regional Development from the University of Barcelona, university professor (Engineering, Economy and Administration) and consultant in the areas of strategic planning, business planning, regional planning, urban planning and energy systems, was Advisor to the Vice President of Engineering and Technology at LIGHT S.A. Electric power distribution company from Rio de Janeiro, Strategic Planning Coordinator of CEPED- Bahia Research and Development Center, Undersecretary of Energy of the State of Bahia, Secretary of Planning of Salvador, is the author of the books Globaliza??o (Editora Nobel, S?o Paulo, 1997), De Collor a FHC- O Brasil e a Nova (Des)ordem Mundial (Editora Nobel, S?o Paulo, 1998), Um Projeto para o Brasil (Editora Nobel, S?o Paulo, 2000), Os condicionantes do desenvolvimento do Estado da Bahia (Tese de doutorado. Universidade de Barcelona,https://www.tesisenred.net/handle/10803/1944, 2003), Globaliza??o e Desenvolvimento (Editora Nobel, S?o Paulo, 2006), Bahia- Desenvolvimento do Século XVI ao Século XX e Objetivos Estratégicos na Era Contemporanea (EGBA, Salvador, 2008), The Necessary Conditions of the Economic and Social Development- The Case of the State of Bahia (VDM Verlag Dr. Müller Aktiengesellschaft & Co. KG, Saarbrücken, Germany, 2010), Aquecimento Global e Catástrofe Planetária (Viena- Editora e Gráfica, Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo, S?o Paulo, 2010), Amaz?nia Sustentável- Para o progresso do Brasil e combate ao aquecimento global (Viena- Editora e Gráfica, Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo, S?o Paulo, 2011), Os Fatores Condicionantes do Desenvolvimento Econ?mico e Social (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2012), Energia no Mundo e no Brasil- Energia e Mudan?a Climática Catastrófica no Século XXI (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2015), As Grandes Revolu??es Científicas, Econ?micas e Sociais que Mudaram o Mundo (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2016), A Inven??o de um novo Brasil (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2017),?Esquerda x Direita e a sua convergência (Associa??o Baiana de Imprensa, Salvador, 2018), Como inventar o futuro para mudar o mundo (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2019), A humanidade amea?ada e as estratégias para sua sobrevivência (Editora Dialética, S?o Paulo, 2021), A escalada da ciência e da tecnologia e sua contribui??o ao progresso e à sobrevivência da humanidade(Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2022), a chapter in the book Flood Handbook (CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, United States, 2022) and How to protect human beings from threats to their existence and avoid the extinction of humanity (Europe, Republic of Moldova, Chi?in?u, 2023).