A teia da vida urbana: a mobilidade em Maceió sob a luz do pensamento sistêmico

Abstract

Based on the operating mode of nature and the network-like organization common to all systems, cities need to be interpreted, planned, and managed with the fundamental principle of preserving and enhancing life—a rare phenomenon in the universe. However, this collides with the contemporary urban reality of environmental collapse risk, intense inequality, and low quality of life, with a significant impact on health due to traffic accidents, stress, and pollution, particularly in the developing world. Humanity is at a crucial moment to change the course of its history, and the city is the ideal environment for that. In this context, this research aims to explore the epistemological panorama of systemic thinking and its relationships with the world we live in, the cities we build, and the global problems and perspectives in an urban context, with a focus on the theme of mobility and studying the city of Maceió-AL (Brazil). The calculation and mapping of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Index (IMUS) of the city were chosen as the methodological tool, with the results indicating various problems in mobility in Maceió, with widespread causes and consequences and a systemic structure. The lack of integration in municipal management and poor indicators, such as those related to the quality of collective and active transportation modes, indicate the need for changes in how people understand urban dynamics and in municipal planning and management policies. Based on the assembled panorama and the synthesis of references regarding the application of systemic principles in urban development, development guidelines were created for the city of Maceió, which can be applicable to similar contexts, envisioning the potential for small local transformations that, cumulatively, can result in significant global transformations.