Pacto Alegre

Contradictions in smart city proposals for Porto Alegre

Bibliographic Data

ID21733231
AuthorsMariana Baldi (0000-0002-0651-2977, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul), Fernando Dias Lopes (0000-0003-0037-0135, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul)
Year2026
Volume28
Issue66
Publication date2026-01-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCadernos Metrópole (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1517-2422 • E-ISSN: 2236-9996
PublisherFapUNIFESP (SciELO) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1590/2236-9996.2026-6664210-en
OpenAlexW7164839426
LanguageEN
References cited16

Based on a critical perspective of city management, this article analyzes how the smart city concept, used within the scope of the Pacto Alegre program in the city of Porto Alegre, state of Rio Grande do Sul, has aligned with and shaped intervention actions in the city in favor of market logic. In addition, based on an analysis of documents and in-depth interviews, the article examines the program's contradictions and the reductionist nature of the use of concepts such as sustainability and citizenship. The data revealed that the program is biased towards the interests of the dominant classes, especially the business elite, and its actions are disconnected from the real problems of the city but strongly aligned with the globalizing discourse of privatization of urban activities

Smart city · Sustainability · Sustainable city · Urban Sustainability · Global Urban Networks and Dynamics · Smart Cities and Technologies · Urban Planning and Governance

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Open DOIOpen Access