The effectiveness of disaster risk management policies in Brazilian municipalities

This paper examines the role of disaster risk management (DRM) policies implemented by Brazilian municipalities in mitigating the social damage caused by flooding. Specifically, we analyze three commonly adopted DRM policies by local governments: flood risk mapping, supervision of flood-prone areas, and implementation of warning systems. Using an instrumental variables approach based on the spatial diffusion of DRM policies among neighbor municipalities, we show that the adoption of DRM policies is not associated with the proportion of flood-displaced individuals. This evidence indicates that these policies are insufficient in mitigating the human damage caused by floods, underscoring a need for complementary strategies or enhanced implementation measures.