The Caatinga as a Living Lab: Climate, Resilience and Smart Cities

Lessons from Brazil’s Semi-Arid Region for Global Urban Futures

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62161/sauc.v11.6030

Keywords:

Smart cities, Caatinga biome, Strategic Planning, Climate Adaptation, Quadruple Helix, Urban Governance, Sustainability Transitions

Abstract

This article reflects on the challenges and opportunities of building smart and sustainable cities in semi-arid regions, focusing on the Caatinga biome in Brazil. Drawing on the Strategic Guide for Smart and Sustainable Cities in the Semi-Arid, it emphasizes how climate pressures and socio-environmental vulnerabilities can be transformed into drivers for resilience, innovation, and inclusive governance. Using the quadruple helix as a guiding framework, the Caatinga is positioned as a living lab for testing and advancing urban strategies. The paper highlights its potential contributions to global debates on climate adaptation, urban sustainability, and the future of smart cities.

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Author Biographies

Jayuri Susy Fernandes de Araújo, Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG), Brazil

Jayuri Susy Fernandes de Araújo is a PhD candidate in Process Engineering at the Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG), with expertise in bioeconomy, biotechnology, and innovation management. She has experience in coordinating research projects, strategic planning, and technology-based entrepreneurship, working at the intersection of science, sustainability, and regional development.

Mônica Tejo Cavalcanti, Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG), Brazil

Professor and Researcher at the Federal University of Campina Grande, Director of the Center for Biotechnology and Medical Innovation (CEBBI).

 

 

André Agra, Tribunal de Contas do Estado da Paraíba (TCE/PB), Brazil

André Agra Gomes de Lira holds a degree in Civil Engineering and master’s degrees in Transport and in Sciences of Religion from UFPB. He is a doctoral candidate in Equality and Gender Policies at the University of Salamanca (USAL). He is an External Control Auditor at the Court of Accounts of the State of Paraíba (TCE/PB), where he coordinates the Digital Citizenship Space Project. He has professional experience as Secretary of Works and Secretary of Planning, Management, and Transparency of Campina Grande, and as professor in postgraduate programs. His areas of expertise include smart cities, governance, urban planning, and public policy.

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2025-12-02

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Fernandes de Araujo, J. S., Tejo Cavalcanti, M., & Agra, A. (2025). The Caatinga as a Living Lab: Climate, Resilience and Smart Cities: Lessons from Brazil’s Semi-Arid Region for Global Urban Futures. Street Art & Urban Creativity, 11(7), 343–364. https://doi.org/10.62161/sauc.v11.6030

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Vol. 11 No. 7 (2025): Special Issue: Smart City World Congress

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Special Issue SmartCityExpo

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