Município VerdeAzul Program: an integrated environmental management analysis in the state of São Paulo

Abstract

This study analyzed the environmental management in the municipalities in the state of São Paulo based on the results of the program “Município VerdeAzul” (PMVA) [GreenBlue municipalities program], relating them to population size, public environmental expenditures and health conditions of the population. Data from 2008 to 2013 were collected from public databases and analyzed using descriptive statistics techniques, multilevel analysis, correlation and the construction of maps to represent the geographic distribution of the indicators. The paper evidences discontinuity in the adhesion to PMVA, as well as intraregional and interregional differences in the environmental performance with concentration of the worst results in the southern region of the state, which is not explained by population size. The ten cities identified with the best environmental performance were: Novo Horizonte, Santa Rosa de Viterbo, Santa Fé do Sul, Itu, Gabriel Monteiro, Sorocaba, Franca, Piacatu, Dirce Reis and Lins. In addition, analysis showed the inexistence of a pattern of environmental investment in the state. It was also observed that the amount of environmental expenditure is slightly and positively correlated with PMVA performance and with lower hospitalization rates for diarrheal diseases in children. This study helps public decision-making, enabling an integrated and holistic view of environmental management in São Paulo.

Keywords:
Environmental Management; Public Management; Public Policy Evaluation; Environmental Health; Public Expenditures