Law and
Natural
Disasters
Thiago Marrara
Doctor Juris – LMU München
Professor at FDRP – USP
[email protected]
MAIN QUESTION
Has the Brazilian Law
responded to recent
natural disasters?
Brazilian legislation overview

1934 Water Code – no important provision

1965 Forest Code – permanent protection areas

1997 Water Resources Policy – no provision

2001 City Statute – no specific provision untill 2012!

2007 Basic Sanitation Act – no provision
City Statute (2001)
 Guidelines



To promote security;
To reduce impacts on the environment;
To reduce risks of disasters.
 However


for the Urban Development:
 focus on construction and housing
Lack of specific tools regarding disasters
Lack of provisions regarding cooperation
Recent Disasters

Drought in the Northeast – 2012

Flood in Manaus – 2012

Landslide in Teresópolis – 2011

Flood in Santa Catarina – 2011

Landslide in Niterói – 2010
“Legal reaction”
 State
 Civil
Aids: Law 12.340/2010
Defense Policy: Law 12.608/2012
 Modifications:


City Statute: 2012
Land Division Act: 2012
 New
Forest Code: 2012
Civil protection system
 Objectives:






To reduce risks of disasters
To assess natural hazards and vulnerable
areas
To avoid irregular land use
To stimulate housing in safe areas
To foster awareness about natural hazards
To provide rescue and assistance
Civil protection system

Guidelines:





Political articulation
Priority of preventive actions
Use of planning tools
Participation of civil society
Shared responsability:



Federal, State and Local Government
Civil Defense Plans
Joint tasks
Civil protection system
 Local






tasks (e.g.):
Execution of the National Policy
Inclusion Civil Protection in Local Plans
Mapping and monitoring of natural risks
Land use control and intervention
Risk information and disaster warning
Rescue and assistance
City Statute

News provisions: Law 12.608

1) Local Urban Plans



Now compulsory for vunelrable cities
Before was optional
2) Adaptation of Local Plans in unsafe areas



Mapping of landslides and flood risks
Measures to prevent and mitigate impacts
Guidelines for ordination of informal settlements
Other measures: Law 12.608

Prohibition of construction in areas of risk (art.
23). Licenses are illegal.

Land use may be subject to construction
conditions in certain areas (art. 12, § 2º Law
6.766/1979).

Principles of civil defense and environmental
education must be taught in basic and
medium school levels (art. 26, § 7º Law
9.394/1996).
State aid
 Law
12.340/2010 and Decree 7.257/2010
 Compulsory


Help / Assistance
Restablishment / Reconstruction
 Voluntary


financial transfers
financial transfers
Prevention
Reduction of spatial vulnerability
State aid
 1969:
FUNCAP – “Special Fund for Public
Calamities”
 New


rules (Law 12.340/2010)
Voluntary contributions from Municipalities
and States
R$ 1 deposit = R$ 4 available
Conclusion

Brazilian Legislation responded to recent disasters through:

National Policy for Civil Defense

Construction restrictions

Housing intervention

Planning mechanisms

Educational measures

State aids
Challenges
 To
promote effective public cooperation
 To
overcome local problems in public
management
 To
 To
fight corruption in the field of land use control
demand state responsibility and personal
sanctions
Brazilian Institutions Evaluation
FONTE: AMB 2008
Corruption
State dependency
Municipalities
Carga tributária disponível. Fonte: Para os anos de 1980 e 1988 - AFONSO, José Roberto R.
Descentralização fiscal, políticas sociais, e transferência de renda no Brasil. Instituto Latino Americano Y
del Caribe de Planificación Económica y Social (ILPES), Santiago de Chile, Fev. 2007 Para os anos de
2000/2005/2007 - STRANZ, Eduardo. Estudos fiscais: Estimativas da participação dos entes da Federação
no bolo tributário. Confederação Nacional dos Municípios. Disponível em: Acessado em 01. dez. 2011
Municipalities