Comparative analysis of data sources for measuring disaster-related displacement in Brazil

Abstract

This article comparatively analyzes six databases – Population in Risk Areas, Brazilian Integrated Disaster Information System (S2iD), Digital Atlas of Disasters in Brazil, Geological Survey of Brazil (SGB), Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) e Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) – with the aim of assessing their potential to measure and characterize disaster-induced population displacement in Brazil, as well as to support the monitoring and targeting of public policies. The methodology adopted is exploratory and non-exhaustive, based on the analysis of databases according to five indicators: (i) capacity to measure displacement; (ii) level of sociodemographic disaggregation; (iii) territorial scale of data availability; (iv) methodological consistency; and (v) potential for use in public policies. The results indicate that the databases have complementary potential for the study of displacement, and can be mobilized both in ex-ante approaches, aimed at identifying exposed populations and reducing vulnerabilities, and in ex-post approaches, related to monitoring impacts and planning institutional responses. However, there is low articulation between the databases and differences in their levels of disaggregation, territorial coverage, and methodological consistency, which limits their integrated use and the production of more precise diagnoses of disaster-induced displacement.