Review article: Analysis of sediment disaster risk assessment surveys in Brazil: a critical review and recommendations

Abstract

Sediment disasters in Brazil induced by climate change are intensifying, posing substantial risks. Studies on Brazilian disaster risk reduction are abundant but those on federal risk assessment surveys are scarce. To address this gap, we analysed five surveys: the Municipal Risk Reduction Plan (PMRR), Geological Risk Survey (GRS), Susceptibility Survey (SS), Geotechnical Aptitude for Urbanization Chart (GAUC), and Geological Hazard Survey (GHS). We conducted a meta-analysis of 300 scholarly publications and public datasets to assess these surveys, evaluating input data, methods, outcomes, applicability, effectiveness, and cost–benefit, guided by global recommendations. Spearman’s rank correlation and McDonald’s omega were employed to evaluate survey associations with initiatives. The results reveal each survey’s unique contributions and challenges, such as limited national coverage and underutilization of quantitative methods. GHS stands out for its versatility, including climate change adaptation countermeasures and decision-maker relevance, but it lacks legal support and limited coverage. GRS and SS are well established but need considerable methodological updates, while GAUC is underutilized due to complexity and high costs. Despite the reproducibility and cost–time efficiency challenges, PMRR exhibits substantial correlation with implementing disaster risk reduction activities. Recommendations include standardizing procedures, enhancing data collection and analysis, improving outputs, and a systematic progressive multi-level approach.