Equity and Integrated Response: Lessons from Porto Alegre
A message from Sebastião Melo, Mayor of Porto Alegre, Brazil
Dear readers,
Porto Alegre, with 1.4 million residents, had 160,000 people and 93,952 households affected by the 2024 flood, which inundated nearly 30% of the city. Water shortages or low pressure affected 71% of neighborhoods. The disaster exposed pre-existing social and economic vulnerabilities and new ones created by its impacts, requiring responses to different needs and realities. The event marked a learning moment for Porto Alegre’s administration and highlighted the importance of institutional capacities built over time. The response required rapid adaptation, supported by accumulated knowledge, coordination structures, territorial presence, and networks.
During the crisis, Health, Social Assistance, Mobility, and Technology were mobilized alongside civil society and the private sector, reinforcing governance and coordination.
Operationally, EPTC, the municipal transport company, already worked with Social Assistance during the Winter Operation. During the flood, this experience expanded to transport people and deliver supplies. Procempa ensured access to data supporting decision-making. Afterwards, the municipality advanced system interoperability, expanding the integration of information.
Closer to communities, Mais Comunidade, an outreach program, and the subprefectures strengthened connections with residents and local networks. After the flood, decentralized points brought services together in affected areas.
Building on this knowledge, previous Urban Land Regularization (REURB) mapping supported data cross-referencing and needs identification, including 25,065 socially vulnerable people registered in CadÚnico (Brazil’s registry for low-income families) in affected neighborhoods. After the flood, this knowledge strengthened technical exchanges with a university in the Netherlands and other partners, led by the Municipal Secretariat for Environment, Urban Planning and Sustainability (SMAMUS). The Secretariat also provides technical coordination for the Reconstruction Office, linked to the Mayor’s Office.
Another example comes from Porto Alegre’s rural area, the third largest among Brazilian capitals, covering 8.28% of the municipality. The city uses agroforestry systems as nature-based solutions and drivers of rural development. Established before the flood and still in use, they combine food production and environmental conservation, supporting water retention, reducing erosion, and helping limit production losses.
One lesson from Porto Alegre’s experience is the importance of integrated responses attentive to local realities and people’s needs. Strengthening these capacities contributes to equitable public action and better preparedness for future challenges. By sharing this experience, Porto Alegre reaffirms the value of cooperation and exchange among cities in building pathways toward resilient and inclusive development.
Yours in public service,
Sebastião Melo
Mayor of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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