Mitigation and adaptation of cities to climate change: socio-environmental vulnerabilities and legal conflicts in the protection of urban Permanent Preservation Areas in Brazil

Abstract

This paper aims to understand the relationships between socio-environmental vulnerability in Brazilian urban areas in the current context of climate change and the legal protection of urban Areas of Permanent Preservation (APP, in the acronym in Portuguese). We seek to identify and interpret how the composition formed by (i) norms currently in force in Brazilian law, (ii) instruments of environmental and land-use planning public policies, and (iii) jurisprudence on normative conflicts related to the discipline of urban PPAs. By means of a literature review and critical analysis of the legislation, other public policy instruments and jurisprudential precedents, we aimed to understand how this composition is aligned with initiatives to mitigate and adapt to climate change and to reduce socio-environmental vulnerabilities resulted from or aggravated by it, with a focus on the situation of populations that live precariously in risk areas. As a result, we have identified a complex and not very harmonious composition of norms applicable to these protected areas in the urban context. However, the current understanding of jurisprudence and the current legislative activity have evolved positively in relation to the necessary actions of adaptation to climate change and reduction of socio-environmental vulnerabilities, although important improvements are still necessary for effective protection and restoration, whenever possible, of urban APP.

Influence of Anthropogenic Activities on the Water Quality of an Urban River in an Unplanned Zone of the Amazonian Coast

“…The waters of the Cereja River run through 11 of the 12 official neighborhoods that are located partially within its drainage basin, which has an area of approximately 10 km 2 (Figure 1). The principal course of the river is approximately 5 km long, with a mean depth of 1.4 m [24]. The mouth of the Cereja River is located in a mangrove area and its waters flow into the Caeté River estuary [17].…”

“…Each photo represents a collection point, from P1 (A) to P6 (F). Uncontrolled urban growth and the unplanned occupation of the margins of the Cereja River have led to the widespread and uncontrolled discharge of domestic effluents and solid waste into the river [24][25][26][27][28][29]. According to the data provided by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics [19], the population of the municipality of Bragança is currently growing at a rate of approximately 2.1% per annum.…”