Vulnerabilidade socioambiental : proposta metodológica e diagnóstico para o município do Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

The term vulnerability has been used more frequently in several studies and official documents, striving to better understand specificities and needs of different population groups. The “vulnerability construct” definitions varies across area of expertise and knowledge. The scope of this study was to identify, characterize and analyze populations in situations of social and environmental vulnerability in Rio de Janeiro city, consolidating social, economic, environmental, health and public security indicators in a synthesis index – the Socio-Environmental Vulnerability Index. The methodology integrated Multicriteria Decision Analysis into a Geographic Information System. According to our results, the social and environmental vulnerability in Rio de Janeiro city is aggravated by risk situations and environmental degradation such as landslides and floods. Those aspects are accentuated by the population density in shantytown areas through the Social and Environmental Vulnerability index map, where the most disadvantaged strata exist in a process of environmental and urban exclusion. The study allows to locate spatially vulnerable areas, emphasizing the importance of these tools to guide resource allocation, formulation and implementation of more effective public policies.