Climate Calamity in Rio Grande Do Sul: A Comparative Analysis with Previous Disasters

Nelson Guilherme Machado Pinto; Thiago Machado Budo; Gabriel Anderson Wachholz; Almyr Heitor Prediger Godoy

doi:10.37497/eagleSustainable.v16i.628

Authors

Nelson Guilherme Machado Pinto Universidade Federal de Santa Maria – UFSM, Rio Grande do Sul, (Brasil) https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1105-2271
Thiago Machado Budo Universidade Federal de Santa Maria – UFSM, Rio Grande do Sul, (Brasil) https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1366-3112
Gabriel Anderson Wachholz Universidade Federal de Santa Maria – UFSM, Rio Grande do Sul, (Brasil) https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4859-5959
Almyr Heitor Prediger Godoy Universidade Federal de Santa Maria https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3660-4541

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37497/eagleSustainable.v16i.628

Keywords:

Rio Grande do Sul Calamity, Climate Change, Climate Policies, Disaster Risk Management

Abstract

Purpose: To analyze the factors that contributed to the recent calamity in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, comparing it with other major disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina in the United States, the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and the Mariana dam disaster and Brumadinho dam disaster in Minas Gerais,in order to identify patterns and lessons applicable to future disaster prevention.

Methodology/approach: A qualitative and comparative analysis was conducted based on secondary data, official reports, and academic literature. The study examined structural, institutional, and governance-related aspects of each case, focusing on preparedness, infrastructure resilience, and intergovernmental coordination.

Originality/Relevance: By establishing a comparative perspective between climate-related and technological disasters, this study highlights recurring governance failures and structural vulnerabilities. It contributes to the debate on climate adaptation and risk management in subnational contexts, particularly in Southern Brazil.

Key findings: Despite contextual differences, common patterns were identified, including insufficient preventive planning, weak resilient infrastructure, and limited coordination between governments and civil society. Climate issues tend to enter the public agenda reactively, following critical events. Furthermore, the coproduction of policies still faces barriers such as limited resources and institutional fragmentation.

Theoretical/methodological contributions: The study reinforces the importance of integrated, preventive, and participatory governance frameworks. It provides analytical insights to support more effective climate policies and disaster risk reduction strategies in Rio Grande do Sul.

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Author Biographies

Nelson Guilherme Machado Pinto, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria – UFSM, Rio Grande do Sul, (Brasil)

Adjunct Professor at the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), assigned to the Department of Administration at the Palmeira das Missões Campus, and Permanent Professor in the Graduate Program in Agribusiness (PPGAGR) at UFSM. Currently holds a CNPq Productivity Fellowship in Technological Development and Innovative Extension – Level C, serves as Coordinator of the PPGAGR at UFSM, is a Member of the Institutional Committee for Technological Innovation (COMIT) at UFSM, and is part of the Technical and Strategic Committee linked to the Innovation Ecosystem of the Production and Northern Region within the INOVA RS Program.

Thiago Machado Budo, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria – UFSM, Rio Grande do Sul, (Brasil)

Master’s student in Agribusiness at the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Palmeira das Missões campus, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the same institution. Previously served as an undergraduate research fellow (Scientific Initiation – IC) funded by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), participating in the project “Rio da Várzea Local Innovation Office: A proposal for entrepreneurship, technological production, and innovation.” He had previously participated in the same project as a Technological Initiation (IT) fellow.

Gabriel Anderson Wachholz, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria – UFSM, Rio Grande do Sul, (Brasil)

Master’s student in Agribusiness at the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Palmeira das Missões campus, and Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the same institution. He currently serves as a research fellow of the Research Support Foundation of the State of Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS), working on a research project focused on the analysis of environmental governance and factors associated with climate disasters in Rio Grande do Sul, from the perspective of development regions and international experiences. He also holds a technical degree in Agriculture from the Federal Farroupilha Institute (IFFar), São Vicente do Sul campus (RS), and previously served as a scholarship holder in the Institutional Program for Technological Innovation and Development Initiation (PIBITI/CNPq).

Almyr Heitor Prediger Godoy, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria

CAPES Scholarship Holder, Master’s Student in Agribusiness (PPGAGR), Economist from the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), and Computer Technician from the Federal Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (IFRS). He has internship experience at .Com Informática (2020), SLC Máquinas (2021), and in the project “Regional Development, Competitiveness and Agribusiness: an investigation based on empirical evidence and theoretical contributions” (2023). Also worked as an undergraduate research and extension scholarship holder in the projects “Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals: The role of Latin American universities – results, advances and new challenges” and “COREDE Rio da Várzea in Data: A Portal for Public Access to Information”, in addition to participating in other academic projects.

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