Adaptation to climate change: between possibilities and challenges in the cities of Natal/RN and Curitiba/PR
Adaptation. Cities. Climate changes. Resilience. Vulnerability and risk.
The debate on cities and climate change has been gaining prominence at the global level, originating in several city networks such as ICLEI. The climate problem is global, but cities have a great responsibility because they concentrate more population and economic activities, attracting means of transportation that are potentially polluting. In this sense, understanding how cities act on climate change is a key issue in the context of building a city with climate resilience and adaptability. Therefore, the aim of this Master's thesis is to understand how urban planning can contribute to the construction of adaptive capacity and resilience to climate change in the cities of Natal and Curitiba. To do so, the methodology, following the guidelines of an interdisciplinary research, presents a qualitative approach, using documentary research, semi-structured interviews as a field research instrument, as well as the Socio-Climatic Vulnerability Index. As a technique for analyzing the data obtained through the application of these interviews, the content analysis is carried out using NVivo 11 Pro software as a tool to facilitate data analysis and to allow a greater depth of analysis. All field research began in August 2017, continuing through mid-September 2018. At the end of this research, it is expected, among other elements, to identify urban planning and urban management initiatives aimed at climate change in the cities studied, to perceive the connections of the city's master plans with the climate issues, and to verify the current adaptation and resilience potential of the cities under study in the face of climate change. A priori, it is concluded that Brazilian cities are very incipient in what concerns climate adaptation and resilience due to the lack of institutional awareness on the part of municipal management, however, some of these cities have been worried about the possible effects of climate change and, in response, seek mitigation and / or adaptation measures.