Municipal environmental management: institutional situation analysis in municipalities affected by natural disasters – the case of the Hurricane Catarina

Abstract

This article seeks to analyze the current situation and environmental management structure of the municipalities affected by the first hurricane of the South Atlantic, the Hurricane Catarina, five years after its occurrence. In this way, we tried to verify to what extent the awareness of global threats, such as climate changes and the consequent natural disasters, increases the predisposition of institutional improvement related to the environment in municipalities. Therefore, we visited all municipalities affected by the hurricane with impact of damage classified as medium, high or very high. Based on primary and secondary data, we 211 sought to compare the environmental management structure at the time of the occurrence of the disaster and current structure. As conclusion, it is possible to say that little has changed in terms of municipal environmental management, even after 5 years of the phenomenon.