Abstract

EGLER, Claudio A. G.  and  GUSMAO, Paulo P.. Coastal management and climate change adaptation: the case of Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region, Brazil. RGCI [online]. 2014, vol.14, n.1, pp.65-80. ISSN 1646-8872.  https://doi.org/10.5894/rgci310.

The article discusses the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region (RMRJ) - the largest and most complex coastal metropolitan region- in light of climate change. The text presents the importance of RMRJ from a demographic perspective and considering its environmental, economic and logistic assets. To dimension the scope and extent of areas subject to flooding and extreme weather events we used the definition of low-elevation coastal zones (LECZ). Then it addresses some of the main challenges currently faced or to be encountered by public administrators given their need to adapt the metropolis to climate change. The discussion focuses mainly on (i) the local administration’s poor ability to respond in view of their constitutional responsibilities; (ii) the absence of cooperation/coordination across the different administration levels, and at each level, across government sectors; (iii) the scarcity of data obtained from monitoring coastal parameters, which accounts for the impossibility of making predictions, projecting scenarios, and consequently of developing integrated contingency plans.

Keywords : environmental risks; public policies; metropolitan governance.

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