Urban resilience in action

a case study on the importance of a Risk Management Plan (RMP) in the public sector

Abstract

Brazil recorded the highest number of natural disasters in 2023, with 1,161 disaster events recorded, 716 of which were associated with hydrological events, such as river overflows, and 445 of geological origin, such as landslides. On April 30, 2024, heavy rains hit the state of Rio Grande do Sul, causing the largest flood in history, of the 497 municipalities in the state, 461 were affected, 41 of which were states of public calamity and 277 in emergency situations. The city of Veranópolis began to face the situation. And in this work, it seeks to present the performance of the municipal public power of Veranópolis as a resilient and mitigating city in the risk management plan. We showed that the work carried out in the Risk Management Plan (PGR), carried out by various social actors, was crucial to minimize the impacts generated by the disaster. The reports show that the protocols were guidelines for the development of the practices carried out. The experience gave the opportunity to understand that urban resilience is not only a matter of immediate response, but also of medium and long-term preparation and planning; and that the Risk Management Plan plays a key role in this context.