Between March 11th and 13th, 2025, Porto Alegre hosted the Workshop on Preparedness for Climate Disasters, a milestone in the process of building the city's Climate Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation Plan (PPMDC). This strategic document will guide Porto Alegre in adopting preventive and response measures to minimize future impacts. The initiative brought together representatives from the public sector, experts, and civil society to discuss actions aimed at prevention, response, and recovery in the face of extreme weather events.

The event took place in a challenging context, after the capital of Rio Grande do Sul faced one of the worst floods in its history in 2024, affecting more than 160,000 people and leaving a trail of destruction in the city's infrastructure. Given this scenario, the development of the PPMDC (Plan for the Prevention and Control of Dams) became a priority to minimize future impacts, ensure a more efficient response to natural disasters, and minimize environmental, social, and economic impacts.

During the three days of activities, the workshop was structured in three stages, each with a specific focus so that participants had access to technical training, participatory planning workshops, and visits to vulnerable areas, promoting the exchange of knowledge on climate governance and risk management.

Day 1 – Risk Governance Assessment: Participants conducted a diagnosis of the municipality's institutional capacity in disaster management, using the Disaster Resilience Self-Assessment Scorecard (MCR2030) tool, developed by the UN-UNDRR. Keila Ferreira, Technical Coordinator of ICLEI Brazil, highlighted the importance of this process: “Self-assessment of risk governance allows us to identify critical points and define more assertive strategies to strengthen urban resilience.” The activity was attended by Germano Bremm, Secretary of Environment, Urban Planning and Sustainability of Porto Alegre, Colonel Evaldo Rodrigues, Coordinator of the Municipal Civil Defense, and Clement Cruz, Program Officer of the UN-UNDRR.

Day 2 – Action Plan Development: The second day was dedicated to formulating guidelines and actions for the Climate Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation Plan, with the participation of various municipal secretariats, specialists, and representatives from Civil Defense. Clement Cruz, UN-UNDRR Program Officer, emphasized the need for integrated planning: “Strengthening climate governance requires cooperation between different sectors. The PPMDC is an example of how a well-structured plan can transform the resilience of cities.” The day also included the participation of Juliana Moretti, Coordinator of CENAD-SEDEC, who presented the guidelines of the National Policy for Civil Protection and Defense and the role of CENAD in risk and disaster prevention. In addition, technical presentations on climate and hydrological monitoring were given by Helper Tecnologia and Catavento Meteorologia e Meio Ambiente, who demonstrated innovative solutions for predicting extreme weather events and minimizing impacts.

Day 3 – Technical Visit and Evacuation Drill: On the last day, a technical visit was conducted to the community of Ilha Pintada, one of the most vulnerable areas of the city, where training was provided for the creation of Community Protection and Civil Defense Centers (NUPDEC). The activity included an evacuation drill to test response protocols and prepare the population for future extreme events, led by Keila Ferreira, Colonel Evaldo Rodrigues, Coordinator of Municipal Civil Defense, and representatives from UFRGS.

The workshop was an initiative of the Porto Alegre City Hall, in partnership with ICLEI South America, the National Secretariat for Civil Protection and Defense (SEDEC), and the UN-UNDRR. The event also included the participation of various municipal secretariats and experts from UFRGS, ensuring a technical and multidisciplinary approach to the construction of the PPMDC.

With the insights gained from the event, the Porto Alegre City Hall continues to advance in updating the Disaster Risk Contingency Plan (PLACON) and finalizing the Climate Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation Plan (PPMDC), which will be aligned with national and international guidelines, such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the MCR2030 (Making Cities Resilient) program. The plan will be a strategic instrument to improve climate governance, strengthen emergency protocols, and structure short-, medium-, and long-term actions.

Porto Alegre takes a crucial step towards climate resilience. Follow our social media for more information on the development of the PPMDC and other disaster response initiatives. To learn more about how ICLEI can support your city, contact us: [email protected].