Disaster risk areas in Brazil: outcomes from an intra-urban scale analysis
International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment
ISSN: 1759-5908
Article publication date: 22 September 2020
Issue publication date: 15 March 2021
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to shed some light on the distribution of population, living in disaster risk areas in Brazil, on the intra-urban scale. The following three aspects are evaluated in this paper: the distribution of exposed population according to municipal size classification; the population density in disaster risk areas; and the municipal human development classification for the municipalities with disaster risk areas.
Design/methodology/approach
This research is based on an explorative approach. The main database used is a result of the association of landslide and flood risk areas to demographic census, available for 825 Brazilian municipalities. Additional databases were integrated to characterize disaster risk management and municipal human development.
Findings
The results revealed that the population exposed to disaster areas is concentrated within the capitals and small cities in the country. Moreover, disaster risk areas are densely populated even in small cities, suggesting that it is a reality faced not only by the larger cities. Finally, disaster risk areas exist even inside municipalities with a high level of human development.
Practical implications
These findings could contribute to the understanding of the spatialisation of disaster risk in Brazil, a primordial step for the reduction of human losses.
Originality/value
A novel perspective about the Brazilian population exposed to disaster risk was obtained, revealing a current issue faced by the municipalities independent of the size classification and level of human development.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
MCAD, DBS, RASMS, PAS, JVMR gratefully acknowledge the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq, Brazil) for their research scholarships. SMS would like to thanks the CNPq (Process 420603/2016-6). DFR acknowledges support from the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES, Brazil) for her PhD scholarship. The authors sincerely thank INCT-Climate Change Project Phase 2 (Grant CNPq 465501/2014-1/Public call MCTI/CNPQ/CAPES/FAPESP 16/2014). This paper is a contribution of the Brazilian Research Network on Global Climate Change FINEP/Rede CLIMA Grant 01.13.0353-00.
Citation
Saito, S.M., Assis Dias, M.C.d., Ribeiro, D.F., Alvalá, R.C.d.S., Souza, D.B.d., Santana, R.A.S.d.M., Souza, P.A.d., Ribeiro, J.V.M. and Stenner, C. (2021), "Disaster risk areas in Brazil: outcomes from an intra-urban scale analysis", International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, Vol. 12 No. 2, pp. 238-250. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJDRBE-01-2020-0008
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited