Mudanças climáticas e políticas públicas no semiárido: os eventos extremos de seca nas agendas municipais de Acari, Caicó e Currais Novos, Rio Grande do Norte/Brasil

Abstract

Climate change has intensified globally, altering weather patterns such as rainfall and contributing to the increased frequency of extreme events like prolonged droughts, particularly affecting highly vulnerable regions, such as Brazil’s Northeastern Semi-Arid Zone. This study aims to analyze how the municipal governments of Acari, Caicó, and Currais Novos are addressing the challenges posed by climate change. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining quantitative and qualitative procedures through the analysis of the 12-month Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI-12), data from the 2020 Municipal Basic Information Survey (MUNIC), and document analysis. The findings indicate a rise in extreme drought events and a shortening of the intervals between them in the municipalities studied. Results also show a predominance of emergency responses over preventive and structural measures, alongside a lack of continuous and systematic integration of climate-related policies into local government agendas. The study concludes that these municipalities lack a strategic and sustained approach to drought management, which weakens their institutional capacity to effectively plan for and respond to this extreme climatic event, especially in light of the increasing severity of droughts driven by climate change.