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- Methodological proposal to evaluate public urban green spacesPublication . Vidal, Diogo Guedes; Fernandes, Cláudia; Barros, Nelson; Maia, Rui LeandroCities must be pleasant and healthy spaces able to contribute to ecosystems regeneration and to bring closer Humans and Nature. However, cities are unequal spaces regarding the distribution of environmental resources, resulting in environmental injustice: socioeconomic vulnerable areas are, simultaneously, those where is identified the bigger environmental vulnerability, in part due to the poor quality of public green spaces - resulting in poor air quality and the increase of noise level – and the social segregation. Therefore, the present work aim to present a methodological proposal to evaluate urban green spaces quality.
- Ozone deposition modelling in a portuguese coastal zonePublication . Valinhas, Maria José; Borrego, Carlos; Barros, Nelson; Carvalho, Ana CristinaThe deposition of pollutants from the atmosphere to ecosystems is the cause of some present environmental problems: acidification, eutrophication and, indirectly, ground level ozone. Related with these issues is the critical loads/levels concept, widely accepted in Europe as basis for pollution control strategies. The knowledge of atmospheric pollutants deposition on ecosystems is needed to setup this methodology. This paper presents the parameterisation done in the deposition module of the system of models MAR IV which is adequate to simulate the transport, dispersion and removal of pollutants, including ozone production for mesoscale application. The ozone surface resistance (Rc) pararneterisation was applied to Lisbon region and the modelk performance was assessed with ozone deposition experimental data observed in the study area during the fieldwork LisbEx 97. The influence of parameterisation became evident with the good fit between modelled results and measured data. Based on an empirical method described by the Stockholm Environmental Institute report a Critical Load map, for non-forested areas, was calculated for Pomgal. The methodology is based on the kind of soil and its buffer capacity to acid compounds, The results show that around 70°/0of the country is in sensitive areas reinforcing the need for the application of this concept.
- Geotourism social constraints and protection instruments from a sustainability perspective - evidence from the Northernmost Brazilian StatePublication . Saldanha Veras, Ana Sibelonia; Vidal, Diogo Guedes; Barros, Nelson; Dinis, Maria Alzira PimentaIn the last decades, the anthropogenic actions on the planet have dually gained visibility: on the one hand as promoters of strategies for safeguarding the environment at a global level and on the other hand as protagonists of the excessive exploitation of its natural resources, threatening the natural balance of the planet. Considering this scenario that results in a need to seek sustainable renewal, the Brazilian indigenous communities living in regions dominated by rock formations classified as natural heritage assume themselves as important vehicles in safeguarding the geological sites through the information they have. There is a lack of knowledge and devaluation regarding the potential of these indigenous communities. Accordingly, the objective of this chapter is to present a vision of the constraints of geotourism in the northernmost Brazilian state of Mucajaí, Roraima (RR), i.e., the duties and responsibilities necessary for the full implementation of geotourism, seeking to safeguard geodiversity in territories dominated by natural heritage, in which the community is sustainably integrated. A review of the official websites of the RR State and of the official legislation was carried out to understand the current geotourism constraints in this region. Based on the results found, regional leaders will be able to identify the specific needs of the region to fully implement the geotourism activity and to promote more sustainable practices to safeguard this region from the anthropic pressure. The use of strategic environmental assessment tools in decision-making on policies and plans for the development of geotourism in a given region should be considered by the official entities in order to ensure the correct assessment of the economic, social, and environmental impacts of this type of interventions.
- Influence of traffic emissions estimation variability on urban air quality modellingPublication . Borrego, Carlos; Tchepel, Oxana; Monteiro, Alexandra; Barros, Nelson; Miranda, Ana IsabelThe main objective of this work is to analyse how uncertainties in emission data of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC), originated from road traffic, influence the model prediction of ozone (O3) concentration fields. Different methods to estimate emissions were applied and results were compared in order to obtain their variability. Based on these data, different emission scenarios were compiled for each pollutant considering the minimum and the maximum values of the estimated emission range. These scenarios were used as input to the MARIV mesoscale modelling system. Simulations have been performed for a summer day in the Northern Region of Portugal. The different approaches to estimate NOx and VOC traffic emissions show a significant variability of absolute values and of their spatial distribution. Comparison of modelling results obtained from the two scenarios presents a dissimilarity of 37% for ozone concentration fields as a response of the system to a variation in the input emission data of 63% for NOx and 59% for VOC. Far beyond all difficulties and approximations, the developed methodology to build up an emission data base shows to be consistent and an useful tool in order to turn applicable an air quality model. Nevertheless, the sensitivity of the model to input data should be considered when it is used as a decision support tool.
- Usos e perceções sobre jardins e parques públicos urbanos - resultados preliminares de um inquérito na cidade do Porto (Portugal)Publication . Vidal, Diogo Guedes; Fernandes, Cláudia; Viterbo, Lilian Monteiro Ferrari; Vilaça, Helena; Barros, Nelson; Maia, Rui LeandroA crescente concentração populacional nas cidades é reconhecida como um dos principais desafios contemporâneos. É nas cidades que os desafios sociais e ambientais se agigantam, implicando um olhar sobre o planeamento urbano sustentável. Os espaços verdes urbanos desempenham um papel importante na resposta a tais desafios, concretamente através dos serviços dos ecossistemas. Os serviços culturais ganham especial relevo, nomeadamente na melhoria da saúde mental, física e social dos seus utilizadores. Este trabalho tem como objetivos conhecer os usos e as perceções dos utilizadores dos jardins e parques públicos da cidade do Porto, bem como de que forma esses mesmos espaços estão a satisfazer as suas necessidades, estabelecendo uma relação com a localização dos mesmos na cidade tendo em conta uma maior ou menor privação socioeconómica e ambiental. Partindo de inquérito por questionário em fase de aplicação aos utilizadores de 25 jardins e parques de acesso público, propõem-se uma discussão sobre os resultados preliminares obtidos (n=131). Os resultados permitem um esboçar do perfil dos potenciais utilizadores destes espaços, além de revelarem que espaços da cidade em áreas de maior privação socioeconómica e ambiental são percecionados pelos seus utilizadores como espaços verdes com menor qualidade. Espera-se que os resultados auxiliem na definição de estratégias de atratividade dos espaços verdes da cidade que possuem menor qualidade e se inserem em zonas de maior privação.
- Landscape sustainability: contribution of Mucajaí-RR (Brazil) RegionPublication . Saldanha Veras, Ana Sibelonia; Vidal, Diogo Guedes; Barros, Nelson; Dinis, Maria Alzira PimentaSustainable development should be at the core of countries’ policies, and nature-based solutions are an efficient solution to promote healthy spaces to healthy people. Landscape sustainability consists in a complex and dynamic process of long-term ecosystem services provided by landscape. These services are important to environmental and public health quality improvement, and to maintaining human well-being at local, regional, and international contexts. Due to the contemporary socioenvironmental challenges, landscape sustainability science assumes an important contribution to mediate and interpret the relationship between ecosystem services and human well-being. Alongside, landscape sustainability allows developing sustainable awareness and responsible consumption behavior. The recognition of the landscape potential, and its contribution to environmental regeneration and provision, is a path to safeguard and preserve the available resources, aligned with the vision of sustainable development.
- Building bridges between indigenous peoples and geotourism activity: the case of the raposa ethnoregion in Roraima, BrazilPublication . Saldanha Veras, Ana Sibelonia; Vidal, Diogo Guedes; Barros, Nelson; Dinis, Maria Alzira PimentaThe state of Roraima in Brazil registers a significant number of Indigenous People (IP), distributed throughout a diversity of ethnoregions. Among them, the municipalities of Amajari, located near the region of the riverbed of Baixo Cotingo, and in the upper Ajarani River, stand out. These IP include the ethnic groups of Macuxi, Ingaricó, Taurepang and Wapixanas, which together aggregate a culturally well-developed contingent. In the municipality of Mucajaí lives another IP community, the Yanomami, recognized as the most isolated IP from South America. These communities live in two regions with potential for geotourism activity: the Extreme North Tourist Region of Brazil, covering an environment which is extremely rich in diversity of landforms, such as hills, plateaus, and valleys, and the Roraima Tourist Region in the Amazon Savanna forests. The objective of this research is to present the Macuxi and Yanomami communities in the region, which are engaged with ethnic tourism activities, highlighting their skills in promoting sustainable tourism management, namely geotourism. The methodology is qualitative exploratory, based on literature and document research in the division of ecotourism in the Mucajaí State Department for Planning. This review work was carried out from June to August 2021. Among the distinct realities relating to the environment, the results indicate that the IP from the Raposa Serra do Sol Indigenous Land feel the need for training to better understand how to welcome the tourist, and, thus, attend the requirements of the Normative Instruction n. 03/2015, which establishes norms and guidelines regarding visitation activities for tourism purposes in indigenous lands (IL). The Yanomami indigenous community also seeks partnership with institutions, either under the form of events, workshops or meetings to conceptualize and carry out strategies allowing to structure the geotourism activity. Accordingly, tourism workshops were implemented, aiming to attend the planning and development of indigenous community tourism to offer a unique tourist experience, thus contributing to build bridges between the indigenous communities and the geotourism activity, in a broader context of the concept of sustainable development.
- Workshop on "Energy, greenhouse gases and environment" proceedings, presentations and postersPublication . Lemos de Sousa, M. J.; Oliveira, Gisela; Rodrigues, Cristina; Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta; Diogo, Miguel Tato; Barros, Nelson
- Contribution to social sustainability and the gender equality at public universities: women empowerment in the brazilian contextPublication . Borges, Rives Rocha; Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta; Barros, NelsonOrganizations worldwide are facing challenges in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) integrating the 2030 Agenda, defined by the United Nations (UN). Among these goals, it is the SDG 5 on gender equity (GE), which addresses the need to increase the necessary skills for workers to achieve empowerment and leadership in management positions. Full and effective participation with equal opportunities to women to occupy leadership positions in all sectors of society must be guaranteed, reducing gender inequality, thus allowing social sustainability to be accomplished. Slowly but gradually, the understanding about the SDG 5 is gaining strength in the context of the Brazilian society. With the slogan “The woman’s place is wherever she wants!”, the Brazil’s women seek to guarantee equal rights and opportunities. With women representing 51.8% of the Brazilian population, the GE in Brazil is a significant daily achievement. An exploratory study was conducted to collect the data, through a quantitative and qualitative descriptive approach. This chapter will connect the women empowerment (WE) with the effective occupation of the top career positions at Federal University of Bahia (UFBA). This subject is an important issue in the social sustainability context in a public university in the north-eastern region of Brazil. The chapter will discuss the GE as proposed by the UN in SDG 5, based on the fact that 45.8% of high hierarchical positions at UFBA are occupied by women, therefore illustrating the WE as part of the social responsibility’s trajectory towards the full achievement of societal sustainable development.
- Sustainable development within higher education institutions: the occupational health field examplePublication . Borges, Rives Rocha; Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta; Barros, NelsonThe sustainability term is widely used to define the scope of the principles and practices that are translated into the operationalization of actions and projects aiming to contribute to the citizens' quality of life. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) play a preponderant role in the implementation of sustainability, having among its objectives the promotion and improvement of the health and well-being of individuals and their environments, including work environments in the scope of actions encompassing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed by 2030 Agenda. The Work Health Promotion (WHP) must be aligned with the concept of sustainability in HEIs and one way of approaching this concept is through the Technical Cooperation Agreement (TCA) between HEIs and other public institutions, for an integrated and efficient approach toward the sustainability in the worker's health issues. The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasized and consolidated that, compliance with the health-related SDGs, would only be possible through health professionals. The TCA presented in this research has the goal to translate the desired approach to achieve sustainable development (SD) in HEIs. This chapter will present and discuss the setup of the TCA established between the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) and other federal public institutions during the implementation of the Federal Public Worker Health Care Integrated Subsystem (SIASS). In this context, the connections between the implemented agreements and the SDG 3, i.e., health and well-being, and SDG 17, i.e., partnerships for the goals, through public and public–private partnerships, will be addressed to support SD in HEIs. To achieve the study’s objective, exploratory, descriptive, and qualitative research was made to identify how UFBA plays a leadership role in implementing sustainability practices in WHP policies and by establishing TCA in the field of occupational health with other public federal institutions in the state of Bahia.