Socioeconomic vulnerability of communities on the Brazilian coast to the largest oil spill (2019–2020) in tropical oceans

Abstract

This article aims to identify the socioeconomic vulnerability of establishments located on the Northeast coast of Brazil, affected by the most extensive oil spill (2019/2020) ever recorded in tropical oceans. To this end, we used secondary data to map locations soiled with oil and search for a concentration of commercial establishments and other institutions located close to these territories. From this information, we built a vulnerability indicator, with three segments: enterprises or institutions related or not to the Ocean Economy, their levels of proximity to oil stains, and persistence, in days, of pollution on the coast. In all, we mapped 53,472 establishments. As for the main research findings, mapping showed the two most vulnerable sectors - accommodation services and the food sector, which are essential for the functioning of the tourism production chain and the food security. Yet, the measurement of the vulnerability index disclosed a wide variation in the indices among states in the same region, related to coastal extension, ineffective strategic actions to fight stains, dependence on an economy strongly focused on the exploitation of coastal resources, or by social factors deficiencies.