Transforming climate data into strategic infrastructure and fostering the climate tech ecosystem are essential pathways to converting scientific predictability into real protection and sustainable economic growth.
By Stéfani Caprioli and Jamile Sabatini Marques
Cities today play a decisive role in the face of extreme weather events. While confronting the impacts of floods, droughts, and wildfires, they also hold the capacity to define how to respond to these challenges. The repetition of tragedies highlights the gap between available scientific knowledge and its incorporation into public planning. Transforming the predictable into prevention demands integrating technology into political and corporate decisions.
Urban expansion often outpaces the speed of adaptation policies, increasing vulnerability in areas at socio-environmental risk. In Brazil, climate impacts manifest themselves unevenly: while the North and Northeast face severe droughts, the South deals with recurring floods. Data from the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp) indicate that, between 2020 and 2023, the annual average of climate disasters reached 4,077, almost double the number observed in the previous two decades. Insisting on purely reactive responses is a costly, inefficient, and socially unjust strategy.
To change this scenario, it is essential to strengthen policies that promote innovation focused on climate mitigation. Incentivizing startups, universities, and research centers specializing in climate tech allows for the development of solutions adapted to local realities, such as low-cost sensors and advanced predictive models. Tax incentives, open innovation grants, and specific credit lines for climate software and data represent a strategy that combines environmental policy, economic intelligence, and technological sovereignty.
We advocate that climate data be treated as strategic infrastructure for cities. This information needs to guide public decisions in a continuous, integrated, and transparent manner, assuming an active role in territorial management. Susceptibility maps, predictive scenarios, and early warning systems should guide licensing, inspections, and emergency protocols, especially in slopes, floodplains, and areas prone to fires.
This approach requires preventative investments in drainage, containment, and water security, prioritizing the most vulnerable areas. Coordination between civil defense, urban planning, the environment, and health is essential, as are housing policies that offer dignified alternatives. Climate intelligence as a foundation for public management reduces losses, preserves lives, and transforms known risks into evidence-based decisions. Ultimately, preparing for disasters means deciding what kind of city—and collective future—we are willing to build.
Notice: The opinion expressed in this article is the responsibility of its authors and not of ABES – Brazilian Association of Software Companies
Article originally published on the Portal CSC website: https://portal.connectedsmartcities.com.br/2026/02/20/cidades-resilientes-o-fomento-a-inovacao-como-antidoto-para-tragedias-anunciadas/
