Management of socio-environmental disaster risks associated with rainfalls: governance challenges in the São Paulo metropolis

Abstract

Socio-environmental disasters associated with events such as floods, mass movements and mudslides cause significant losses for the population and impose significant challenges for public administration every year in Brazil. The local level of government is a central sphere for the coordination of multiple actors involved in disaster risk management. Especially in Brazil, where municipalities have great autonomy and attributions in the production of public policies and, at the same time, have limited capacities, understanding the governance challenges faced at the local level becomes a key factor in addressing socio-environmental disasters. The article addresses the socio-environmental disaster risk management policy in municipal governments, focusing on governance as one of the fundamental pillars. It analyzes four cases of municipalities, with different profiles in terms of population and economic development, located in the metropolis of São Paulo, which concentrates about 10% of the country's population and registers a substantial number of disaster occurrences. Based on secondary data, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews conducted with civil servants from different agencies and federal entities, the governance of the policy at the local level and its challenges are discussed considering five dimensions: intra-municipal coordination; inter-municipal articulation; interfederative pacting; relationship with non-state actors; cooperation with control agencies and legislative power. The results point to a governance centered on disaster preparedness and response in the municipalities analyzed, endowed with instruments and some coordination mechanisms between the different actors, as well as a clearer division of functions. In contrast, risk prevention and mitigation are restricted, and factors that contribute to explain the limits of governance in this context have been identified. Facing these challenges will contribute to the effectiveness of the socio-environmental disaster risk management policy, reducing the impacts that usually affect the most vulnerable population.