ICLEI South America deeply regrets the tragedy that occurred on January 25th with the collapse of the dam at the Feijão Mine in Brumadinho, and expresses its solidarity with the families of the victims, the affected communities, and the state of Minas Gerais and local governments in the region.

An episode like this imposes the responsibility of reflecting on the roles of the different actors involved in territorial management; on strengthening environmental control and oversight systems, paying attention to the effectiveness and qualification of technical staff at different levels of government; on the clarity, rigor, and efficiency of rules, procedures, and protection systems; and on guaranteeing the voice and influence of local actors in decisions with the potential for high impact on their territories, in accordance with the precautionary principle.

ICLEI proposes a systemic vision of sustainable urban development based on five pathways that must be understood in an integrated and holistic way: low-carbon, resilient, nature-based, circular, equitable, and people-centered development. At the urban scale, these pathways balance human living standards, economic development with employment and income, the built environment, and natural systems, proposing production and consumption models that respect local ecosystems and the territory, raising the quality of life standards for current and future generations.

We will continue working to strengthen environmental and social safeguards in Brazil, as well as supporting local governments in the region in their tasks of rapid recovery and resilience building.