Characterization and modeling of urban environmental quality indicators

Abstract

Environmental problems in the urban area of Belém, Pará, Brazil, deny a large portion of the population critical environmental quality. The present study evaluated the environmental quality of the urban village of União, in a neighborhood called Terra Firme, Belém, Pará. An integrated urban environmental quality index was proposed, based on the modeling of indicators of urban environmental quality, urban livability and quality of treated water. These three indices encompass the variables of water supply, garbage collection, vegetation, sewage, road paving, infrastructure condition of households, the existence of urban equipment for common use, public transport, accessibility, family income, employment conditions, education and quality of treated water. The results of the indicators are: urban environmental quality index, 50.0 points (indicating a regular level of environmental quality); urban livability index, 48.6 points (representing moderate level of livability); and quality index of the treated water, 98.1 points (which is an optimal level of water quality). The arithmetic average of the three indices generated an integrated urban environmental quality of 65.6 points, a good environmental quality level of the urban village housing in União. The interpretation of this integrated index reflects the indicators measured in each index. We conclude that the modeling of urban environmental quality indicators was an important tool for the analysis of urban environmental quality in micro or macro scales, and this allowed us to propose more efficient management and restructuring of the urban environment.