How far have we come? Review of main public policies to reduce landslide impacts in Brazil

During the rainy season in Brazil, landslides can have catastrophic consequences, including loss of life, damage to urban infrastructure and significant economic impacts. Now, more than eight million people in Brazil live in disaster-prone areas. The objective of this article is to present a chronological review of the principal policies and programmes at the national, state, and municipal levels, with an emphasis on their key actions aimed at mitigating the impact of disasters related to natural hazards, particularly landslides. Our analysis was based on official records of public policies from the national, state, and municipal governments. The results show that several initiatives were initially developed at the local and regional level. However, it was not until the late 1980s that a comprehensive organisation of civil protection at the national level emerged as a response measure. It is possible to highlight three phases (understanding, coexistence, and prevention) of institutional action focused on risk management in the face of disasters. Despite the growing knowledge of risk scenarios, disasters continue to occur in Brazil on an annual basis, revealing several obstacles to reducing their impact, particularly given the social and economic disparities between Brazilian regions and the applicability of public policies that must overcome the limitations of each municipality.