Application of Information Entropy
to Assessment Environmental Sanitation
Sustainability Conditions: A Case Study
at the River Grande Basin, Brazil
Janaína Ferreira Guidolini, Angélica Giarolla,
Gustavo Felipe Balué Arcoverde, Evandro Albiach Branco
and Jean Pierre Henry Balbaud Ometto
Abstract Environmental sanitation is one of the main causing factors of water use
conflicts at the Rio Grande Basin, Brazil. The precariousness of sanitation conditions
in the area degrades water resources and affects the health and quality of life of the
local population, as well as regional economic development. In this context, this
study aims to assess the environmental sanitation sustainability condition in two Rio
Grande Basin (BHRG) water management units. An evaluation index system grouped
into three subsystems (economic, social and environmental) was applied to this end,
carried out for the years of 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014. The indicator and subsystem
weights were based on the Entropy Information concept. The empirical results of this
study indicated unacceptable environmental sanitation sustainability conditions for
both assessed water management units. This study, thus, demonstrates the impacts
of economic development and environmental quality on the human subsystem. In
addition, it provides theoretical implications and practical approaches for assessing
sanitation conditions under the sustainable development scenario, and may assist in
planning actions and decision-making processes to meet the goals of Objective for
Sustainable Development 6 stipulated for 2030 by the United Nations.
Keywords Sustainable development goals · Sustainability method analysis · Water
resources management · Basic sanitation
J. F. Guidolini (B) · A. Giarolla · G. F. B. Arcoverde · E. A. Branco · J. P. H. B. Ometto
Earth System Science Centre, National Institute for Space Research, Astronautas Avenue 1758,
12227010 São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil
e-mail: janaina.guidolini@inpe.br
A. Giarolla
e-mail: angelica.giarolla@inpe.br
G. F. B. Arcoverde
e-mail: gustavo.arcoverde@inpe.br
E. A. Branco
e-mail: evandro.albiach@inpe.br
J. P. H. B. Ometto
e-mail: jean.ometto@inpe.br
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
W. Leal Filho et al. (eds.), Universities and Sustainable Communities:
Meeting the Goals of the Agenda 2030, World Sustainability Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30306-8_16
273
to Assessment Environmental Sanitation
Sustainability Conditions: A Case Study
at the River Grande Basin, Brazil
Janaína Ferreira Guidolini, Angélica Giarolla,
Gustavo Felipe Balué Arcoverde, Evandro Albiach Branco
and Jean Pierre Henry Balbaud Ometto
Abstract Environmental sanitation is one of the main causing factors of water use
conflicts at the Rio Grande Basin, Brazil. The precariousness of sanitation conditions
in the area degrades water resources and affects the health and quality of life of the
local population, as well as regional economic development. In this context, this
study aims to assess the environmental sanitation sustainability condition in two Rio
Grande Basin (BHRG) water management units. An evaluation index system grouped
into three subsystems (economic, social and environmental) was applied to this end,
carried out for the years of 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014. The indicator and subsystem
weights were based on the Entropy Information concept. The empirical results of this
study indicated unacceptable environmental sanitation sustainability conditions for
both assessed water management units. This study, thus, demonstrates the impacts
of economic development and environmental quality on the human subsystem. In
addition, it provides theoretical implications and practical approaches for assessing
sanitation conditions under the sustainable development scenario, and may assist in
planning actions and decision-making processes to meet the goals of Objective for
Sustainable Development 6 stipulated for 2030 by the United Nations.
Keywords Sustainable development goals · Sustainability method analysis · Water
resources management · Basic sanitation
J. F. Guidolini (B) · A. Giarolla · G. F. B. Arcoverde · E. A. Branco · J. P. H. B. Ometto
Earth System Science Centre, National Institute for Space Research, Astronautas Avenue 1758,
12227010 São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil
e-mail: janaina.guidolini@inpe.br
A. Giarolla
e-mail: angelica.giarolla@inpe.br
G. F. B. Arcoverde
e-mail: gustavo.arcoverde@inpe.br
E. A. Branco
e-mail: evandro.albiach@inpe.br
J. P. H. B. Ometto
e-mail: jean.ometto@inpe.br
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
W. Leal Filho et al. (eds.), Universities and Sustainable Communities:
Meeting the Goals of the Agenda 2030, World Sustainability Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30306-8_16
273