Caminhabilidade: valoração dos serviços ecossistêmicos de espaços urbanos na cidade de Fortaleza-CE.

Abstract

The disorderly urbanization of metropolises contributes to the rise in the number of motor vehicles, increase of greenhouse gas emission, lower quality of air and discourages walking as a form of mobility. The concept of walkability refers to the quality of a place, where pedestrians feel encouraged to use public spaces for walking and exploring different forms of sustainable mobility. The objectives of this study were to estimate the environmental economic value through the contingent valuation method (CVM) of ecosystem services of urban spaces in the city of Fortaleza/CE and to relate the urban factors associated with walkability. In an online format, 248 questionnaires were applied, containing socioeconomic and environmental questions, besides those about walking. The results show that factors like gender, education, income, and environmental issues, such as: thermal sensation and afforestation, are important variables to evaluate the willingness to pay (WTP) of each individual. The hypothetical market was used to capture the monthly value of the WTP, which was R$36,3 million. This result shows that the maintenance of public spaces and its functions of providing environmental services are important factors in preserving walkability as form of urban mobility.