Proposta metodológica para classificação da vulnerabilidade socioambiental: um estudo de caso de Belo Horizonte

Abstract

The abrupt growth of Brazilian capitals in the middle of the 20th century caused a significant increase in demand for housing in large cities. As a result, the increase in demand boosted land values. The economically disadvantaged population had to occupy the cheapest land, which was not always safe areas. In this context, the concept of socio-environmental vulnerability arises: "Situations in which social groups with higher levels of poverty and social deprivation will reside in areas with greater exposure to risk and environmental degradation". In the present study, the concept of socio-environmental vulnerability is established by the combination of two socioeconomic dimensions, represented by the Municipal HDI, and environmental risk, represented by flood risk areas. The main objective is to categorize and analyze socio-environmental vulnerability in the city of Belo Horizonte, using geoprocessing tools. The methodology of the study is divided into three main stages: data collection, data processing and cartographic elaboration. Socio-environmental vulnerability is categorized into four classes: very low, low, high and very high. The results show that in Belo Horizonte most of the human development units were classified as high vulnerability, 31% of the total. With low vulnerability 30%, very low 16% and very high 23%. There is a clear pattern towards the center periphery, with the least vulnerable regions centralized and the most vulnerable regions at the edges of the city.