INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF WATER RESOURCES AND URBAN LAND USE IN KEY FEDERAL LEGISLATION IN BRAZIL

Abstract

Described herein is an assessment of the level of integration of water resources and land use management as prescribed in key Brazilian legislation: National Water Resources Policy (NWRP), City Statute (CS) and Statute of the Metropolis (SM). Regulatory strengths and gaps were identified using a diagnostic framework derived from the international literature to reflect the key principles and dimensions of integration of water and land use management. The following eight criteria were applied: 1. Integrated strategic agenda; 2. New institutionalism as systemic planning; 3. Information platform of spatial data; 4. Effectiveness of local participation; 5. Relative importance of interests and aspects; 6. Empowerment of the organisational structure; 7. Multi-scale perspective; and 8. Vertical and horizontal integration. It was found that six of these criteria were at least partially promoted in all three policies, with criteria 4 and 8 being particularly strongly promoted, followed by criteria 2 and 5. Criterion 6 was deemed unaccounted for in all three policies, which was interpreted as a bottleneck of implementation of integrated policy. The NWRP was deemed to strongly favour such articulation, while the SM was considered more integration-ready than the CS. The analysis was extended to identify which policy instruments enforce each criteria and how. The study can provide a basis for future policy improvement and exemplifies the application of an assessment tool developed in resonance with modern urban sustainability principles.