Between the Necessity of Sanitation and the Urgency of Preparing Poor Areas in the Recife for the Climate Transition

Objective: The objective of this study is to examine the critical relationship between the absence or precariousness of essential public services and socio-environmental vulnerability, by analyzing communities of social interest located in hillside and wetland areas in the city of Recife. Theoretical Framework: The article explores the dilemma of intervening in two urgent issues involving poor communities in Recife: the provision of essential public basic sanitation services and/or mitigating actions to deal with the social and climatic challenges faced by the city's poorest and most vulnerable populations. Method: The study characterizes the predominance of urban, morphological and infrastructural conditions, including basic sanitation and the risks associated with the communities, based on the Geographic Information System for Poor Areas in the Recife Metropolitan Region (SIGAP-RMR). Results and Discussion: The results highlight a history of socio-spatial inequalities and environmental degradation, demonstrating that these two aspects are mutually aggravating factors. Originality/Value: Based on a reflection on climate transition, the study discusses how the lack of sanitation aggravates the adverse impacts of climate change on the residents of poor areas.