Climate risks and the programmatic vulnerability: the challenges for the homeless population in Rio de Jarneiro and risk analysis

The homeless population in Brazil has shown significant growth in recent years. This fact is perceived in the main capitals of the country, such as the city of Rio de Janeiro. The number of people affected there has reached 13 thousand, thus exposing a structural, social and economic problem that demands attention from the public authorities. The present study aims to analyse and operationalize the concept of vulnerability in its programmatic (or institutional) dimension based on public policies, also considering the exposure to climate risk to which these people are vulnerable, in a non-inclusive city. Fieldwork, interviews, data collection, and literature surveys on the subject were conducted for this purpose. As a result, it was possible to see that the difficulties faced by this population are related to the deprivation of basic rights, starting with a lack of housing, jobs, and access to public policies that fail to meet the demand for urban shelter. This social impoverishment was exacerbated during and after the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020.