Brazil Is Very Behind in Climate Change Adaptation Measures, Experts Say

The tragedy that hit the northern coast of Sao Paulo after an unprecedented volume of rainfall has raised discussions about the absence of preventive measures against extreme climate events. These phenomena are already more frequent and intense, according to the UN climate intergovernmental panel (IPCC), and show a lack of preparation for dealing with the climate crisis. Experts heard by have pointed out that Brazil is very behind in this area, that the national plan designed to deal with the issue has never been put into practice and that very few cities have local policies to minimize the impact of extreme climate events. "We are very behind, really very behind," says Ana Toni, who will occupy the head of the National Secretariat for Climate Change of the MMA (Ministry of Environment and Climate Change). "There are some wonderful initiatives, such as Cemaden [National Center for Monitoring and Alert of Natural Disasters], but we are still behind in terms of preparation at the other end, regarding the most vulnerable populations, and of having a clear understanding of risk areas and putting in place specific programs to help municipalities located in the area of adaptation. " While much of the debate on the increase in global temperature is focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, discussion about adaptation to a warmer planet has been going on in the background. Every year, Brazil accumulates disasters caused by flooding and landslides. With climate change, extreme rainfall that causes these disasters should be even more frequent, according to the IPCC.