Pobreza, crescimento econômico e degradação ambiental no meio urbano brasileiro

This paper aimed verify how is the relationship between income and environmental degradation in Brazilian urban. We analyzed if the poverty and economic growth are determinants of negative or positive impact on the environment. It was decided to use the Ordered Logit model, because the dependent variable related to environmental degradation was built qualitatively and the choices can be organized in according to intensity levels of degradation. It was verified that the variables which represents dimensions of human development of the population such as environmental awareness, education, health and income are determinant to explain the degradation process. The environmental degradation presents a relation of an inverted “N” with income growth as expected in Brazil and its regions. Thus, the identification of determinants of environmental degradation provides valuable information for planning public policies able of to act on them, minimizing their negative effects on the well-being of urban populations directly affected.