Cidade monitor: plataforma de monitoramento de ameaças urbanas na cidade de Cajazeiras

Abstract

Urban threats arise from human-induced changes and activities carried out in a given area, po sing risks to society through infrastructure or environmental means. These innovations are lar gely driven by the growing population of cities and the high degree of urbanization seen today. However, such changes often occur rapidly and without proper planning, resulting in a lack of effective control and causing harm to both the environment and the population. To improve the control and management of urban environmental threats, the development of software was pro- posed to map, store, and document as many of these threats as possible, based on community input. The system aims to enhance safety and quality of life for people living in affected areas by enabling residents to actively participate in identifying and mapping local risks. The case study selected was the city of Cajazeiras, located in the interior of the state of Paraíba, Brazil, where the main environmental threats were identified and categorized. The system operates through two main modules: (1) a mobile application that allows the public to report threats— such as landslides, flooding, air pollution, illegal waste disposal, or soil erosion—according to specific categories; and (2) a control panel for public administration to manage these reports, including geolocation data, and prioritize mitigation efforts based on the severity and impact of each threat. This approach aims to foster a more efficient and collaborative management of urban threats, making the city more resilient to environmental challenges. However, it is im- portant to note that collecting information on the system’s usability was not within the scope of this project. Nonetheless, the entire development process was guided by feedback from envi- ronmental and administrative management experts from the city of Cajazeiras. From a technical perspective, the system— named Cidade Monitor—was developed using a simple and scalable architecture, with a focus on code optimization and software development best practices. The platform is expected to support environmental management in any city where it is implemented, promoting collaboration between the population and local authorities in tackling urban threats.