São Paulo’s Urban Conservation: Protecting the Atlantic Forest

The Municipality of São Paulo is advancing a major environmental preservation initiative by declaring over 165 km² of land as areas of public utility (DUPs), aimed at creating or expanding urban parks and municipal conservation units. This initiative will increase legally protected land from 15% to 26% of the city’s territory, equivalent in area to cities like Bogotá or Amsterdam. Through targeted expropriations and conservation planning, the city aims to protect 71% of its remaining native Atlantic Forest (Mata Atlântica), marking a significant step for biodiversity and climate resilience.

The program is led by the Municipal Secretariat for Green and Environment (SVMA), with technical support from the Coordination of Environmental Planning (CPA) and the Division of Environmental Patrimony (DPA). The implementation process includes:

• Mapping of priority vegetation and ecosystem services
• Legal declaration of utility (DUPs) for over 30 targeted areas
• Preparation of documentation for judicial expropriation
• Budget allocation for land acquisition and park creation
• Coordination with district subprefectures and local agencies

Priority is given to forested lands that offer high ecological value and hydrological protection, while avoiding conflicts with low-impact land uses such as agriculture or ecotourism. As of February 2024, all target areas have finalized technical proposals and await mayoral approval for expropriation procedures.

The project is grounded in multisectoral collaboration across city government departments and external actors.

• Municipal Secretariat for Green and Environment (SVMA) - Lead authority
• CPA & DPA - Technical and operational planning
• Local Subprefeituras - District-level coordination
• Civil society and environmental groups - Advocates and watchdogs
• Collaboration with urban geographers, legal scholars, and land-use experts

The city has employed public presentations, participatory forums, and open data platforms to explain the scope and benefits of DUPs. A key message is the link between conservation, climate resilience, and improved quality of life, especially for vulnerable populations in peripheral zones.

São Paulo is using public funds and strategic planning to mobilize over R$ 1 billion (approx. USD 190 million) for urban conservation.

• Municipal budget: Funded primarily through compensation resources from environmental licensing
• Estimated investment: Approx. R$ 1.1 billion (USD 210 million) total
• Unit costs: Range from R$ 1 million (USD 190,000) to R$ 106 million (USD 20 million) depending on location and land use
• Funding priorities: Areas with high environmental returns and urgent need for legal protection

The initiative has already positioned São Paulo as a national reference in urban biodiversity conservation.

• Several DUPs already published; legal expropriation in progress
• New protected areas in biodiversity hotspots and water-sensitive zones
• Climate co-benefits: reduced urban heat, improved air quality, flood control
• Reinforces São Paulo’s role in Brazil’s NDCs and nature-based solutions agenda

Despite strong institutional leadership, São Paulo’s conservation drive faces notable obstacles.

• Lengthy legal procedures for expropriation and land regularization
• Budgetary pressure due to high real estate values in some districts
• Resistance from landowners and gaps in environmental enforcement
• Need for continuity across electoral cycles to preserve political will

São Paulo’s approach demonstrates how legal and administrative instruments—like DUPs—can be scaled to promote urban biodiversity protection. Its technical mapping, interdepartmental coordination, and legal framing offer a replicable blueprint for other megacities with remnant natural ecosystems. Already, the city’s model has sparked interest from other Brazilian municipalities and could serve as a reference for tropical urban regions worldwide.

The São Paulo DUP initiative is a transformative environmental policy that combines legal innovation, technical planning, and political commitment to safeguard one of the world’s most endangered biomes within an urban setting. If fully implemented, it will position São Paulo as a global leader in climate adaptation, urban biodiversity, and equitable access to nature for all its citizens.

• SVMA São Paulo

Rodrigo Martins dos Santos
Director, Division of Environmental Patrimony (DPA)