During the week in which World Environment Day is celebrated, the Sustainable Cities Institute — in partnership with IPEC and Sesc-SP — released an unprecedented study on the perception of the urban population of ten Brazilian capitals in relation to environmental problems and global warming.
The survey was launched last Tuesday (3), during an event held at the Sesc Research and Training Center, in São Paulo (SP).
In total, 3,5 internet users over the age of 16, who had lived for at least two years in Manaus, Belém, Fortaleza, Recife, Salvador, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Porto Alegre and Goiânia, were interviewed.
According to the survey, the most cited environmental problem among respondents was air pollution (52%), followed by noise pollution (34%) and flooding (32%). However, perception varies according to the capital.
Air pollution, for example, tops the list of concerns in São Paulo (71%), Manaus (54%), Belo Horizonte (52%), Fortaleza (42%) and Rio de Janeiro (41%).
In Salvador, the biggest complaint is noise pollution for 44% of those interviewed; while Porto Alegre has floods as the main environmental challenge (60%).
Pollution of rivers and seas is most noticeable in Recife (43%); basic sanitation is a greater concern in Belém (40%); and the lack of selective collection is the main problem in Goiânia (39%).
Impacts of climate change
The study also found that excessive heat is perceived as the main impact of climate change by almost half of those interviewed. For 82% of them, city councils play a decisive role in tackling environmental problems.
Among the actions most mentioned as urgent to be taken by municipal governments are:
- Control of deforestation and irregular occupation of water source areas (54%);
- Reducing the use of fossil fuels in public transport and the official fleet (52%);
- The expansion of environmental preservation areas (52%);
- The proper disposal of solid waste, with a focus on recycling and composting (52%);
- Encouraging sustainable construction, using ecological techniques and materials (35%).
About World Environment Day
Celebrated this Thursday (5), World Environment Day was established by ONU in 1972 during the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, held in Stockholm — considered the first international meeting dedicated to environmental issues.
Since then, the date has been marked by awareness-raising actions around the world, focusing on the preservation of natural resources and the urgency of facing the risks caused by climate change.
Click here and check out the complete study by the Sustainable Cities Institute.
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