Environmental displacement:

conceptual distinctions, causes, and legal protection gaps

Abstract

The article aims to analyze environmental displacement in Brazil between 2015 and 2025, identifying natural and anthropogenic causes, their impacts on populations, and the available legal and institutional responses, while also discussing the urgency of a specific regulatory framework. The research adopted a hypothetical-deductive approach, of documentary and bibliographic nature, with a temporal scope from 2015 to 2025, highlighting 2015–2016 as a critical period. The methodology integrated qualitative and quantitative analyses, using data from INPE on wildfires, ANA on droughts and floods, and ANM on dams, in addition to institutional reports, legislation, and scientific literature. The results showed that displacements were mainly caused by four risk vectors: wildfires, prolonged droughts, floods, and dam collapses. These events directly compromised food security, livelihoods, and housing for thousands of families, forcing large-scale internal displacements. In the case of droughts, the data revealed severe agricultural losses, especially in the northeastern semi-arid region, linked to population decline. Wildfires, intensified by deforestation and land conflicts, peaked during the 2020 Pantanal fires. Floods affected both metropolitan and rural areas, with the 2024 disaster in Rio Grande do Sul standing out due to the magnitude of its impacts. Dam collapses, such as Mariana (2015) and Brumadinho (2019), highlighted structural and regulatory failures that resulted in severe socio-environmental tragedies. The analysis concludes that, despite legislative progress, there are still significant legal and institutional gaps. Therefore, it is urgent to consolidate integrated public policies and establish a specific legal framework that ensures protection, resettlement, and resilience for affected populations.