Territorial planning and public policies in the RMRP

the influence of the Guarani Aquifer System on sociospatial dynamics

Abstract

This article argues that municipalities located along the extensive eastern strip of the Ribeirão Preto Metropolitan Region (RMRP) face restrictions on land use and occupation due to the presence of outcrops of the Guarani Aquifer System. This situation imposes the need for public and management policies focused on environmental preservation, in contrast to the municipalities in the western portion of the RMRP, characterized by the predominance of productive activities such as agribusiness and industry. The main objective is to examine the influence of the Guarani Aquifer System on the region's territorial structure and organization through a comparative study between the eastern and western regions. We conclude that, in the RMRP, the concentration of infrastructure investments in the western region contributes to the geographic clustering of socioeconomically disadvantaged municipalities in the eastern region—evidenced by their low Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rates—which require specific public policies to mitigate such disparities. The methodological approach adopted is based on the use of primary sources, bibliographic review, analysis of statistical data and cartographic interpretation.