Participatory Geographic Information Systems (PGIS) to assess water, energy and food availability in a vulnerable community in Guarulhos (Brazil)

Abstract

Water, energy, and food are a key approach for addressing urban sustainability. The demand for those basic living resources will increase in the coming decades, jeopardising urban sustainability, especially in peripheral urban areas. This makes necessary to apply methods to improve social participation to better assess the availability of urban nexus resources (water, energy and food–WEF) for community’s local development. Participatory Geographic Information Systems are powerful planning tool that aims to represent local knowledge, by applying geotechnologies and collaborative mapping techniques. This article explores the potential of PGIS for engaging youth in mapping the nexus in Novo Recreio, Guarulhos, São Paulo. aiming to raise socioenvironmental awareness, co-create knowledge, and determine potential improvements and solutions for local urban planning engaging youths. Outcomes showed that the youths mapped their socioenvironmental perceptions regarding to the WEF elements, and new proposals were developed, demonstrating that PGIS was a suitable method contributing towards improving local and regional urban governance.