NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS AND THE CHALLENGE OF BASIC SANITATION IN FAVELAS AND URBAN COMMUNITIES: AN ANALYSIS OF THE JARDIM NOVA ESPERANÇA FAVELA IN SÃO JOSÉ DOS CAMPOS-SP

Abstract

Brazil faces persistent inequality in access to basic sanitation, especially in vulnerable areas. According to the 2022 Demographic Census, about 50 million Brazilians live in households with precarious access to sanitary sewage services. The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) as sustainable alternatives for sanitary sewage in slums and urban communities. The focus is on the implementation of decentralized systems that use natural processes and local technologies, aiming to meet the needs of these communities in a sustainable way, promoting environmental, social and economic benefits, always respecting ecological cycles. We adopted a dialectical approach and used the methodology of indirect documentary research, based on data from research institutes and bibliographic review. A case study was carried out in the Jardim Nova Esperança Favela, known as Banhado, in São José dos Campos-SP, considered a Smart and technological City. This community faces challenges of land irregularity and notable precariousness in basic sanitation. In the context of Sustainable Development Goal number 6 (SDG 6), created by the United Nations (UN) at the Millennium Summit in 2000, which aims to ensure universal and equitable access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation by 2030, this study highlights how NBS can contribute to the improvement of sanitation conditions in vulnerable areas,  aligning with the global sustainable development goals. The implementation of decentralized sanitary sewage solutions can directly contribute to the reduction of inequalities in access to sanitation and the mitigation of environmental and socio-spatial impacts in these territories. We conclude that NBS have the potential to expand access to sanitation in vulnerable areas, offering innovative and effective solutions to the problem. These alternatives promote social and environmental inclusion and reinforce the importance of decentralized sanitation models as strategies for more equitable and sustainable urban development.