Green and Blue Urban Infrastructure

a comparison between the master plans of the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Petrópolis

Abstract

Objective - To compare the legal instruments of the Master Plans in force in the city of Rio de Janeiro and the city of Petrópolis, identifying patterns, divergences, and implementation strategies for green and blue infrastructure.

Methodology - Documentary analysis of legal texts available on official portals, with a guided reading of chapters and provisions addressing green areas, urban transition, water resources, and nature-based solutions; application of comparative tables and quantitative counting of key terms.

Originality/relevance - The article fills the gap in comparative studies between municipalities of different sizes in Brazil, offering insights into the operationalization of green and blue infrastructure in master plans and their integration with governance and sustainability policies.

Results - It was identified that the Rio de Janeiro Master Plan adopts provisions aligned with the concepts of green and blue infrastructure without explicitly naming them, while Petrópolis presents more defined environmental guidelines, but with less emphasis on green infrastructure. The quantitative analysis revealed a higher incidence of terms related to sustainability in Rio and a priority for water management in Petrópolis.

Theoretical/methodological Contributions - proposes a comparison protocol based on thematic frameworks and term frequency analysis for sustainable urban planning studies and improves the targeted reading approach to municipal regulations.

Social and environmental contributions - provide support for public administrators to review their master plans, reinforcing the need for clear operational instruments, participatory governance, and the adoption of nature-based solutions to mitigate socio-environmental risks and improve quality of life.