Sustainability public policies in Fortaleza, CE

Abstract

Currently, sustainable development represents a global challenge, especially in urban centers. In this sense, it is urgent that, in the public policies implemented by municipal governance, there are strategic actions related to the preservation of the environment (environmental dimension), the reduction of social inequalities (social dimension), the promotion of local economic growth (economic dimension), the conservation and dissemination of cultural traditions (cultural dimension), as well as the search for a balance between the built and natural environment (spatial dimension). Thus, it is urgent and necessary that the design plans of cities contemplate all dimensions of sustainability, thus enabling a concrete and effective sustainable urban development. Indeed, the objective of this study is to verify the relationship of public policies, developed in Fortaleza, with all the axes of urban sustainability, especially the one that contemplates the management of natural assets in the city. The methodological procedure is qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive. A bibliographic and documental survey was carried out (articles, scientific papers, and documents produced by the public power) through which the main sustainability public policies developed in Fortaleza were listed and presented. Then, the alignment of the objectives, goals, and actions described in these legal instruments was verified, as were the practices related to each of the dimensions of sustainability. It was observed that among the actions planned and implemented by the local government, all the dimensions of sustainability are contemplated, and a specific axis for governance is also present in these plans. It is important to emphasize that there are also specific plans or projects for the management of natural resources and maintenance of environmental quality, showing that in the urban space of Fortaleza there is a search for balance between the built and natural environments, focusing on the reduction of socio-environmental vulnerability.