Environmental Inequalities in São Paulo and Green Gentrification from the Perspective of Unequal Development and the Production of Space

Abstract

The capital of São Paulo is known to be permeated by inequalities in the provision of services and infrastructure, including green. It is notable that the process of producing space, especially in the urban environment of São Paulo, is strongly linked to the search for accumulation and this is reinforced with the production of nature. The objective of this article was, therefore, to analyze the uneven distribution of vegetation cover in the municipality, but with a focus on its urban area, that is, the city of São Paulo. To achieve this, a mixed method was adopted, based on both quantitative data (such as relative vegetation cover and HDI-M) and qualitative assessment, in order to identify which type of vegetation predominates in each context. The results point to a clear environmental inequality in São Paulo, with vegetation difficult to access, in forest massifs, steep and/or risky areas, predominating on the outskirts, and more homogeneously spatialized parks and urban afforestation present in more affluent neighborhoods. Given that, the article contributes to the field of urban planning studies by providing support for understanding environmental inequalities in São Paulo in conjunction with the production of space, uneven development and green gentrification, in a critical approach.