Tiered impact assessment tools must integrate the local and regional impacts of urban sprawl into urban planning and projects, using geospatial analysis to understand their effects across these scales
Urban sprawl is a growing global phenomenon in cities that causes permanent and irreversible changes to land use and green areas. Urban plans and projects must consider the effects of urban sprawl to address its significant environmental impacts. Consequently, environmental impact assessment tools must incorporate urban sprawl as a relevant issue when applied to projects and plans affecting the urban environment and surroundings. This study investigates how the effects of urban sprawl can be considered in the impact assessment of urban projects and plans, using the city of Jundiaí, Brazil, as a case study. Urban sprawl effects are analyzed at detailed, local, and municipal levels. The methodology relies on geospatial analysis to understand the effects of sprawl across these different spatial scales. So, the analysis of sprawl effects considers three tiers of impact assessment instruments: neighborhood impact assessment, environmental impact assessment, and strategic environmental assessment. Recommendations are proposed for integrating the effects of urban sprawl into different tiers of impact assessment. We conclude that impact assessment instruments play a significant role in promoting urban resilience by incorporating mitigation and compensation measures into urban planning.
Associate Professor at the Universidade de São Paulo, developing research and teaching in environmental planning with impact assessment and strategic environmental assessment, with more than 20 years.