29 Jun A lean to green: São Paulo pushes for sustainable infrastructure
Marcos Rodrigues Penido, Infrastructure and Environment Secretary of São Paulo, underlines the government’s new drive to implement sustainable practices in its infrastructure projects and reasons why the state of São Paulo is attractive for foreign direct investment
What stance is the government taking in terms of building internal infrastructure as we move beyond the COVID-19 pandemic?
We have united our infrastructure and environment departments to build infrastructure that addresses environmental concerns. We want to put São Paulo on a world-class standing by guaranteeing basic sanitation and a good quality of life for its inhabitants. We want to update the energy mix, lower carbon emissions and promote a circular economy. We want infrastructure that is complementary to the principles of environmental, social and corporate governance.
The pandemic made us intensify our work on sustainability. Since construction was deemed an essential service, we incentivized construction in areas related to sanitation and health. We also intensified our actions by providing water infrastructure to needed areas of the state to promote good hygiene, especially during this time. We were agile and renovated existing infrastructures to ensure the deployment of gas, water and electricity to all business establishments for the continuation of commerce. We aim to continue all infrastructure projects as we move forward.
What specific policies and programs does the government have in place to push sustainability in São Paulo?
The largest investment funds only invest in places and countries that respect the environment. São Paulo stands out in Brazil by being against the national policy that rebuffs some of these essential environmental safeguards. We recently approved a law that incentivizes universalization and provision of drinkable water and waste treatment processes for the entire population. We have a program for sustainable timber, which ensures that wood products entering São Paulo are only from certified producers. We also have a project called Agro Legal that aims to increase forest cover in the state by 3,090 square miles in the next 20 years. Our environmental policies look to preserve native flora, increase forest cover and protect our green spaces.
What is the government’s strategy in performing projects with the public sector?
We must invest resources in basic services such as health, education, security, social assistance and transport. Investment in public spaces should be made economically viable through partnerships with the private sector. There is an agreement that private public partnerships are the best way forward for the development of the state. For example, we recently concluded the Caminhos Do Mar concession, which is a highway through the capital of São Paulo to the ocean. We are looking to stimulate both foreign and local interest in visiting botanical gardens and other projects linked to ecotourism. This will in turn generate jobs and add new businesses to surrounding areas. Additionally, visiting these natural areas will promote the idea of environmental preservation and protecting resources for future generations.
What projects is the state currently undergoing to clean up polluted waterways?
Our main clean-up objective is the Pinheiros River. The project will set the example of how we can recuperate polluted rivers throughout Brazil through basic sanitation solutions and integrated clean-up activities. The Pinheiros River is 16 miles long and runs through the middle of São Paulo. Its banks house around 1.6 million inhabitants who stand to benefit from the project. It will create 540,000 new waste-water routes to new treatment facilities. The aims of the project are for the river to only receive clean water and that water levels remain adequate through maintenance. We will spearhead an educational sustainability program in local areas. We will create parks and two bike pathways that will span 11 miles on both sides of the river. We then want to apply these processes to the largest river in our state, the Tietê River. We are exploring using waste as a means of energy production and as fertilizer for our agriculture industry.
What new technologies is the government focused on in updating its infrastructure?
Technology aids us every day in our projects. We recently signed two contracts for floating solar plants in our dams. We have many dams and lakes where this new technology could be explored to generate clean energy. We have a few projects with local energy companies in the field of the internet of things and intelligent mediators. We are taking advantage of biofuels–in our case our vast production of ethanol–to promote cleaner urban transport. We are focused on changing the energy matrix through artificial intelligence.
How attractive is São Paulo for foreign direct investment?
São Paulo is leading by example in many areas of the economy and public private partnerships. Our parks, cultural institutions and road infrastructure highlights the state’s openness to private initiatives as a means of development. We want São Paulo to be a place of reference for alternative solutions in independent energy production, environmental protection and the upkeep of high life standards. São Paulo was a leader in our country in providing a production channel for the COVID-19 vaccine through our Butantan Institute and was the first state to apply the vaccine roll out. These examples are what set São Paulo apart and what attracts investors to our innovative ecosystem. We have a great work ethic and environmental vision. Come to Sao Paulo, invest in Sao Paulo and you will not be disappointed.
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