Population pressure and environmental degradation: facing the challenges of urban changes in the Baixada Santista metropolitan region (Brazil)

Andrea Young, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP)

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in the distribution and social and spatial profile of the population that could be associated to the urbanization process and urban configuration of Baixada Santista Metropolitan Region in the last twenty years. In this case, it was supposed that these changes could be provoking different effects, like conflicts between environment and urban structure with risk to population. Using satellite images, aerophoto and Geographic Information System (GIS) was created a time series of land use changes with spatial analysis and comparisons between distinct periods. This process contributed for understanding of urban expansion, mainly in terms of social and spatial dissimilarities and distribution of population as well the urban extension on the areas of environmental protection. Through the geoprocessing techniques was accomplished the integration of data and the implementation of spatial analysis useful to locate the areas of environmental conflict.