Economic–Sanitation–Environmental (Dis)Connections in Brazil: A Trans-Scale Perspective From Minas Gerais State and BH Microregion

Norma Valencio, Arthur Valencio, Gabriel G. Carvalho and Murilo S. Baptista
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Norma Valencio: Department of Environmental Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
Arthur Valencio: Brazilian Center for Early Childhood Development, Insper Institute for Education and Research, Brazil
Gabriel G. Carvalho: Postgraduate Programme in Environmental Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
Murilo S. Baptista: Institute for Complex Systems and Mathematical Biology, University of Aberdeen, UK / Department of Physics, University of Aberdeen, UK / SUPA, University of Aberdeen, UK

Urban Planning, 2024, vol. 9

Abstract: Brazil’s economic, environmental, and infrastructural landscape is characterised by local and regional inequalities, particularly evident in Minas Gerais state and the municipalities surrounding its capital, Belo Horizonte (BH) microregion. This research examines three primary domains: (a) economic metrics such as GDP per capita, wages, and formal employment; (b) the availability of clean water and sewage systems; and (c) the frequency of emergency decrees. It aims to ascertain whether these factors can delineate economic, health, and socio-environmental divides within the BH microregion and between its urban and rural areas. Economically, a pronounced gap exists between GDP growth and wage stability, underscoring disparities between the BH microregion and the broader state. While the BH microregion boasts higher salaries and GDP, it also grapples with a heightened cost of living. Disparities in water and sewage infrastructure are stark between urban and non-urban locales, with the latter often lacking access. Emergency decrees are correlated with municipal GDP, with lower-GDP areas experiencing more crises, albeit to a lesser extent in the BH microregion. Cluster analysis reveals a nexus between frequent emergencies, lower GDP, and improved access to water and sewage services. Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive public policies to foster local well-being and alleviate economic, infrastructural, and environmental disparities within both the state and the BH microregion.

Keywords: Brazil; development studies; drinking water; emergency declaration; Minas Gerais; regional planning; sanitation infrastructure; sewage coverage; social inequalities; socio-environmental justice (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7048

DOI: 10.17645/up.7048

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