Risk management, environmental vulnerability, and the climate issue in metropolitan management

Abstract

The situation of environmental vulnerability of some urban populations tends to be associated with their ignorance or indifference regarding the geological risk of their territories. However, this does not take into account that urban land occupation does not result simply from individual decisions, but from a complex dynamics between income, social class, race, social movements, and political-institutional arrangements. Based on this understanding, this study presents a reflection on the spatial distribution of risk and environmental and social vulnerabilities in the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte (MRBH). The analysis is based on the comparison between environmental risk maps and zoning maps of the three municipalities that make up the contributing area of the Arrudas watershed, the unit of analysis selected within the MRBH.

risk management; vulnerability; metropolis; climate issue; Belo Horizonte (metropolitan region)