Appropriation of Disaster Risk Reduction in Brazil …
15
6 Conclusions
Following the results, after the case study, it was verified that there is a strong relation
and transmission of ideas or guidelines among analysed institutions. The comprehension of these links are fundamental to strategically address natural disasters for
managers, technical staff, and city population. There are three main conclusions we
draw from this study.
The first conclusion, analysing the interviews, it is possible to conclude that from
2012 (Creation of Law 12.608/2012) there was an improvement in actions dealing
with disasters. As demonstrated by the interviews in the category 1, topics 1 and
2 questions. It is highlighted that, until this moment, despite the fact that national
policies are better defined, organized and consolidated regarding civil defense competencies, there is still a passive approach that focuses on helping instead of actively
preventing. This is reinforced in a scenario where policies, organizations and public
administration sectors are extremely disconnected. Usually the actual solutions are
based in short-term visions with no full understanding of the several areas involved
in a problem. That is even more serious when complicated issues, like environmental
questions, are managed.
This process shows the difficulties to implement an efficient transformation in the
risk prevention policies. Simultaneously, it is observed that in the municipalities in
which there is a more robust integration between civil defense and the MCDP spatial
planning regulation, a more efficient approach to adversities were perceived. This
fact may be understood as a positive externality.
In the Second conclusion it is observed that the appropriation of civil defense
regulations and guidelines by city administration still lacks a more developed structure. Thus, the paradox is confirmed. At the same time, it is demonstrated that: in
one hand the structuration of a civil defense and protection system and its integration
with city administration is incompleted and limited by several constraints; in the
other hand there is a huge potential to include these transformations.
It is also important to remember that the Law 12.608/2012 is promulgated only two
years after the beginning of the process of general plan revisions. Considering this
opportunity, it observed that a lot of concepts and specific tools to improve prevention,
protection, and risk could have been added in the spatial planning policies.
The third conclusion shows from the interviews in the selected metropolitan region
that municipalities still confirm the presence of a vulnerable social and environmental
situation. The same scenario is observed in other Brazilian cities (Ultramari 2009;
Deschamps 2008; Hummel 2009). It is possible to verify that the structuration of
a civil defense prevention and protection system in the spatial urban management
started only some years ago and it is still not complete. Most of cities are working
on this process. As a result, it is possible to point that the conclusions made here
can change as the majority of general plans will have to be revised and effectively
start to integrate disaster reduction politics in their municipal planning content. The
different stakeholders involved can influence the final policy output. The existence
of information, the creation of a legal framework or even the introduction of new
15
6 Conclusions
Following the results, after the case study, it was verified that there is a strong relation
and transmission of ideas or guidelines among analysed institutions. The comprehension of these links are fundamental to strategically address natural disasters for
managers, technical staff, and city population. There are three main conclusions we
draw from this study.
The first conclusion, analysing the interviews, it is possible to conclude that from
2012 (Creation of Law 12.608/2012) there was an improvement in actions dealing
with disasters. As demonstrated by the interviews in the category 1, topics 1 and
2 questions. It is highlighted that, until this moment, despite the fact that national
policies are better defined, organized and consolidated regarding civil defense competencies, there is still a passive approach that focuses on helping instead of actively
preventing. This is reinforced in a scenario where policies, organizations and public
administration sectors are extremely disconnected. Usually the actual solutions are
based in short-term visions with no full understanding of the several areas involved
in a problem. That is even more serious when complicated issues, like environmental
questions, are managed.
This process shows the difficulties to implement an efficient transformation in the
risk prevention policies. Simultaneously, it is observed that in the municipalities in
which there is a more robust integration between civil defense and the MCDP spatial
planning regulation, a more efficient approach to adversities were perceived. This
fact may be understood as a positive externality.
In the Second conclusion it is observed that the appropriation of civil defense
regulations and guidelines by city administration still lacks a more developed structure. Thus, the paradox is confirmed. At the same time, it is demonstrated that: in
one hand the structuration of a civil defense and protection system and its integration
with city administration is incompleted and limited by several constraints; in the
other hand there is a huge potential to include these transformations.
It is also important to remember that the Law 12.608/2012 is promulgated only two
years after the beginning of the process of general plan revisions. Considering this
opportunity, it observed that a lot of concepts and specific tools to improve prevention,
protection, and risk could have been added in the spatial planning policies.
The third conclusion shows from the interviews in the selected metropolitan region
that municipalities still confirm the presence of a vulnerable social and environmental
situation. The same scenario is observed in other Brazilian cities (Ultramari 2009;
Deschamps 2008; Hummel 2009). It is possible to verify that the structuration of
a civil defense prevention and protection system in the spatial urban management
started only some years ago and it is still not complete. Most of cities are working
on this process. As a result, it is possible to point that the conclusions made here
can change as the majority of general plans will have to be revised and effectively
start to integrate disaster reduction politics in their municipal planning content. The
different stakeholders involved can influence the final policy output. The existence
of information, the creation of a legal framework or even the introduction of new