Unicamp and the government of the state of São Paulo signed an agreement, on May 5th, for the implementation of the Center for Studies and Research on Disasters at the University (Ceped-SP/Unicamp). The objective focuses on the production, integration, contextualization, dissemination and availability of knowledge to contribute to risk management and disaster management. Created as a laboratory, Ceped, at Unicamp, is linked to the Center for Meteorological and Climatic Research Applied to Agriculture (Cepagri).
The technical-scientific agreement highlights the need for input from different areas of knowledge to prevent the causes of natural or man-made disasters. In this way, Ceped-SP/Unicamp aims to promote studies that guide prevention, mitigation, preparation, response and recovery actions aimed at civil protection and defense. Initially, the laboratory will be led by researchers André Munhoz de Argollo Ferrão, Priscila Pereira Coltri; Renata Ribeiro do Vale Gonçalves and Jurandir Zullo Junio.
“Cepagri has extensive experience with research focused on climate and other aspects of interest to the territory, particularly the territory occupied by agriculture. The research to be carried out by Ceped-SP/Unicamp will add new lines of research to Cepagri's expertise, which will be required by the Civil Defense of the state of São Paulo, and will eventually count on its direct or indirect participation, whether in the provision of data or the involvement of personnel, according to each case”, highlights professor at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Urbanism (FEC) and researcher at Cepagri André Argollo.
The studies will take place in line with the guidelines from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR-UN), especially those contained in the Sendai Framework and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to André. “Ceped-SP/UNICAMP will seek to specialize in studies and research on the 'Systemic approach to risk' and 'Resilience of territories and communities', looking for alternatives for future scenarios aiming to prepare communities and their territories for the perception and coexistence with the risks inherent to different contexts and facing disasters corresponding to such risks”, he says.
The professor also points out that Cepagri already has research groups with work in progress whose topics are of interest to the Civil Protection and Defense area and which will continue to be developed. “These are works linked to all areas of knowledge, and many of them cover different approaches, different territorial areas, etc.”, he points out.
Ceped
The creation of the Disaster Studies and Research Centers occurred after Law No. 12.608/2012, which established the National Civil Defense Policy. The states, following the legislation, began partnerships with universities and research institutes to organize the centers. With the agreement made with Unicamp, the state of São Paulo now has two Cepeds. The first was signed with the University of São Paulo (USP), in 2013.
To Lieutenant Colonel Henguel Ricardo Pereira, Director of the State Coordination of Protection and Civil Defense, body to which Cepeds are linked in the state, scientific knowledge is essential to understand the dynamics of a disaster, whether natural or technological, which is why agreements are so important. "It is through scientific research that we intend to improve knowledge about the disaster and also propose improvements or innovations in equipment, materials, software, action protocols, public policies, among others, striving for efficiency and economy, in order to avoid or minimize damage to the population, property and the environment", he states.
"Before adopting any attitude towards the risk of disaster, knowledge is elementary and scientific research has the capacity to reveal essential details that allow the most appropriate monitoring of the triggers of its outbreak, the implementation of preventive or mitigating measures, the preparation of the bodies responsible for care and the population itself to live with the risk or respond to the disaster, the definition of the procedures that will be adopted in an emergency and the actions necessary to guarantee the return of normality", he explains.
