TABLE 1

FROM:

Social and environmental exclusion at the edge of São Paulo, Brazil

Jutta Gutberlet and Angela Hunter

Table 1. Assessment of urban sustainability and liveability

Key areas of concern	Quality indicators (sustainability)	Accessibility (liveability)
Physical/natural environment	Air and water quality, soil degradation, erosion, density and diversity of vegetation cover and animal life.	Clean air and clean streams, slope stability, availability of green public spaces, trees.
Urban form and function	Architecture and quality of urban form, functionality of public spaces and buildings, protected cultural heritage. Quality (diversity and use of native plants) and degree of landscaping and open spaces in the city.	Availability, access and efficiency of urban functions. Location of public spaces and buildings (transport accessibility). Preservation and maintenance of local cultural heritage. Leisure and recreational areas.
Housing	Building materials (efficiency, costs, use of recycled materials), durability and degree of adaptation to the natural environment.	Adequacy and availability of housing. Quality of housing (density, risk exposure, building materials). Location (transport convenience), distance to the centre, to workplace and other urban functions. Land tenure.
Basic infrastructure	Appropriate and efficient technology regarding  energy source and efficiency (degree of renewable/non-renewable energy sources)  quality of drinking water  sewage collection network and treatment system  waste management (forms of disposal, recycling)  transport efficiency and impacts.	Electricity, clean water, sewage/grey water collection, garbage collection, recycling. Incentives for alternative energy generation and waste recycling.  Accessibility of drinking water, regularity of access and quality.  Availability, efficiency and quality of public transport, local road system and illumination of public spaces.
Health and education	Availability and quality of  public health system (preventive, holistic medicine)  pollution prevention measures  public schools, universities, professional training facilities.	Accessibility and quality of health care, health-related infrastructure and educational facilities (child care, pre-school, primary school, university, professional training). Environmental education/awareness programmes. Community activities (horticulture, communal work).
Livelihood	Incentives for environmentally 'clean' production, sustainable production/consumption. Full employment	Employment (diversity and vitality of employment). Purchasing power. Access to local food production (bioregionalism and urban agriculture).
Social environment	Local safety and health. Cultural and recreational activities	Security (no crime, no violence). Access to recreational and cultural opportunities. Community empowerment (participation in democratic decision processes, local representation). Sense of place.