Conceptual Landmarks of Sustainable Development in Cities - A Reading of the Process of Building the Idea of Sustainable Development

Abstract

The revision of concepts - from the systemic approach to the recognition of socio-environmental structures - advanced the proposals for sustainable development of the Global Urban Forums. However, the distance between the discourse and practice in the alleviation of socio-environmental inequality in cities was still persistent. Nature is recognized by the CAPITAL as an object to be captured as private property - which, by not incorporating work, does not need to be paid for. Treated as an externality of the economical process, nature’s social role was neglected for a long time, making the revision of this concept necessary. Parallel to that, urban legislations advanced in the control of the use of urban land to finance infrastructures and basic services in cities, consolidating the principle of its social function. Thus, in 2014, the City of São Paulo approved a Strategic Master Plan (PDE) that incorporated the Onerosa Grant as a mechanism for capturing real estate surplus value, whose resources feed a public investment fund - Urban Development Fund (Fundurb). This fund makes plans, programs and urbanistic and environmental projects. The objective of this research is to verify the implementation of Fundurb resources in the promotion of environmental programs and projects and in the recovery/mitigation of impacts to the natural environment by the urbanization process of the city of São Paulo.