Climate Justice in Brazil

Climate Justice in Brazil

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Floods in the Amazonian Region
  • Droughts in the Northeastern Region

 

NARRATIVE

In Brazil, climate consequences do not affect people the same way. The Indigenous, Black, and poor populations within the country are the most vulnerable and affected by climate events.

Floods in the Amazonian region

One ongoing climate injustice issue in the country is the consequences of the floods in the amazonian region for the Indigenous and riverside communities, as already mentioned in a previous post. This population is mostly poor and highly vulnerable to extreme climate events due to two key reasons. Firstly, some people may lose their houses due to the high level of the rivers in the region. Secondly, these people rely on subsistence agriculture to survive, and when the climate is not as predictable, their productions may not yield as much, causing food insecurity for those communities.

Unfortunately, this issue is not being properly addressed, as the country’s environmental management is not being taken seriously by the president and their supporters. Thus, due to the complexity of the problem, new public policies must be designed to provide a holistic solution capable of responding to the environmental issue, the flood, and its consequences to the surrounding communities.

Droughts in the Northeastern Region

Another critical example of climate injustice in Brazil is the drought in the northeastern part of the country, which affects 82% of the cities in the area. The region is naturally dry due to its geological conditions, and extreme weather events worsened by climate change will only increase the impact of lack of water in the life of more than 10 million people who have to live in those dry spots. The northeast is considered the poorest region in Brazil, and the majority of its inhabitants rely on agricultural activities to survive. Thus, when droughts happen, people suffer consequences such as lack of potable water, hunger, and loss of jobs due to the inability to produce vegetables and livestock.

According to research developed in 2018, only 15% of the cities in the region have a prevention plan to survive the droughts, while 65% have emergency response plans through water trucks. To help the local population, an initiative by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), is providing USD 218 million in loans for up to 250 thousand families of farmers in the region.

However, this is not enough. The federal, state and local governments must elaborate a comprehensive plan that helps to prevent and minimize the consequences of this event. Moreover, it is also key to provide the population with more financial and social resources to survive the moments of crisis.

Contact Supporting Organizations

Foundation For Amazon Sustainability (FAS)

Street Alvaro Braga, 351, Parque Dez de Novembro, Manaus, AM, Brasil
ZIP Code: 69054-595

Tel: +55 92 4009 8900

Email: fas@fas-amazonas.org

Novo Sertão Institute

Street Eugenio Costa, 286 – Betânia do Piauí-PI, Brasil

Tel: +55 86 99498-6598

Email: betania@novosertao.org.br

Sources

https://brasil.elpais.com/brasil/2021-05-12/os-guardioes-da-floresta-pedem-socorro.html?event_log=oklogin

https://exame.com/brasil/secas-se-espalham-e-59-das-cidades-nao-se-previnem-contra-desastre/

https://www.fecop.seplag.ce.gov.br/2020/11/20/regiao-nordeste-possui-quase-metade-de-toda-a-pobreza-no-brasil-segundo-ibge/

https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/economia/noticia/2020-12/fundo-internacional-aprova-r-12-bi-para-combate-seca-no-nordeste

https://www.letrasambientais.org.br/posts/uma-radiografia-da-seca-nos-estados-do-nordeste,-em-mapas

https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/brasil-58325350

https://www.uol.com.br/ecoa/reportagens-especiais/racismo-ambiental-comunidades-negras-e-pobres-sao-mais-afetadas-por-crise-climatica/#page17

This Post was submitted by Climate Scorecard Brazil Country Manager Elis Valeris Aginski Cotosky

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