Abstract Summary
Climate adaptation in cities: transitioning to green infrastructure. The challenges related to the consequences of climate change in cities have pushed municipalities to assess their capacity to withstand extreme climate events such as heat waves, drought, storms and floods, air pollution, and subsequential impact of the generalized environmental degradation. These issues are already impacting cities significantly, prompting them to implement mitigation and adaptation strategies. In this scenario, efforts and resources tend to be largely directed to reinforce hard/grey infrastructure, but not only has this been insufficient in withstanding extreme weather events, it reinforces patterns of urbanization that have conditioned the unsustainable state of cities. On the other hand, ecological thinking in city design and Nature Based Solutions have also been explored as strategies to improve resilience and quality of life in cities. There are many levels and scales where these strategies can be implemented and benefit the city, addressing specific conditions in different areas, especially when developed as an infrastructure system. The concept of Green Infrastructure has been used in urban planning as a multi-scale instrument to support ecological functions that essential for the city since the XIX century (MELL, 2010; BENEDICT, 2001; FOSTER, 2011). Identifying opportunities of establishing green infrastructure requires a multiscale approach to understanding the territory, beginning with the characterization of the geomorphological characteristics of the city, but also of its socioeconomic and spatial dynamics, as a way of recognizing vulnerabilities and opportunities to be addressed in conjunction with another. We will present a spatial analysis of spaces that could potentially be articulated as Green Infrastructure in São Paulo, a megacity with diverse socioeconomic and physical conditions, and reflect on the role that Green Infrastructure could play in the adaptation to climate change. Key words: spatial analysis, urban resilience, nature based solutions.
