ECO: A DIGITAL ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLAINTS AND ECOLOGICAL CITIZENSHIP SYSTEM

Abstract

This article presents the development and application of the ECO system, a digital platform for registering, monitoring, and managing environmental complaints, with the aim of promoting ecological citizenship and strengthening participatory governance. The research was conducted through a case study carried out in neighborhoods in São Luís - MA, involving middle-class residents, and adopted a qualitative approach with descriptive quantitative support. The methodology included a survey of urban environmental problems, structured interviews with the community, and an analysis of technological requirements. The system was implemented with a Next.js front-end, a Java back-end with Spring Boot, and a MySQL database, in addition to the integration of public APIs for geolocation and notifications. The results indicate that ECO contributes to reducing the time between complaint registration and organization for referral, increases the transparency of information, and strengthens popular engagement in environmental protection. It can be concluded that the system represents an effective tool to support public policies, encourage social participation, and consolidate ecological citizenship practices mediated by technology.