The Cities and Regions Pavilion at the Paris Climate Conference brought together cities from around the world to discuss opportunities and the future of local climate action on the global stage. During the two weeks, various initiatives such as the Compact of Mayors and the... Transformative Actions Program (TAP) These were highlights from the sessions at the Pavilion. Through TAP, launched by ICLEI last year, 120 municipalities registered to present their transformative initiatives in search of potential funders.

Representing the Latin American region, 16 cities and 2 states were selected to participate in the Program, and some had the opportunity to present their projects to potential funders and partners. On November 3rd, mayors from Brazilian cities demonstrated the paths they are taking to address climate change. Present were Mayors Marcio Lacerda (Belo Horizonte), Antonio Luiz de Carvalho (Itu), the Secretary of Urban Planning and Environment of Fortaleza, Águeda Muniz, and the Secretary of Environment and Sustainability of Recife, Cida Pedrosa.

Mayor Marcio Lacerda (BH) presented the Municipal Plan for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions based on three key sectors: transportation, energy, and sanitation. In the energy sector, there are already more than 300 square meters of solar panels for every 1,000 inhabitants, used for water heating, among other functions. The Mayor also highlighted the goal of the capital of Minas Gerais to reduce GHG emissions from 7.21 million to 5.67 million tons by 2030.

The city of Itu took its example in solid waste management to Paris. With a waste management program since 2000, the municipality is considered a pioneer in the country, covering 80% of its urban area with selective collection. The city is also an example in recycling, presenting an average of 10% of waste destined for this activity, while the national average is 1.4%.

From the Northeast region of Brazil, representing the capital of Pernambuco, the Secretary of Environment and Sustainability of Recife, Cida Pedrosa, presented a project whose main objective is to reduce risks and inequalities between informal and formal settlements, focusing on the most vulnerable population. With a high risk of flooding and landslides, the City Hall intends to promote the installation of permeable pavements, the transformation of degraded areas into green spaces, decentralization of solid waste management, implementation of LED lighting in public areas, among other interventions.

The city of Fortaleza has invested in an initiative to expand its green areas. As foreseen in its Environmental Policy, launched in 2013, the project aims for an expansion of up to 15 square meters of green space per person. The initiative was presented by the Secretary of Urban Planning and Environment, Águeda Muniz, who highlighted the policy's focus on integrating the natural and urban environment, with initiatives related to environmental education, sustainability, biodiversity, water, pollution control, among others.

Two municipalities in Colombia were also selected to present their initiatives, which focused on the transportation and mobility sector. Valle de Aburra, in the city of Medellín, a region that has attracted numerous sustainability-related activities, aims, based on its Mobility Plan, to implement 441 kilometers of bike lanes by 2030, install more than 2,500 bicycle parking spaces, and expand its bike-sharing system throughout the region. The city of Pasto, on the other hand, intends to begin the integrated structuring of its transportation system with the recent launch of its Mobility Plan.

Another highlight among the cities was the Municipality of Curitiba, selected to present two projects in the Green Zone of the Climate Conference. Represented by the superintendent of the Municipal Secretariat of the Environment, forestry engineer Alfredo Vicente de Castro Trindade presented the Sustainable Village project, which includes measures such as smart buildings, solar energy, water reuse, permeable sidewalks, green roofs, bike paths, among other initiatives, in an area of irregular occupation where 30,000 people live. The second project, Biodiversity Condominium (ConBio), is a natural conservation program focused on encouraging conservationist attitudes. The City of Sorocaba, the State of Rio de Janeiro, and the State of Minas Gerais also participated in the presentations in the Green Zone of the Conference.

The other cities selected by ICLEI's Transformative Action Program in Latin America were: La Paz (Bolivia), Santiago (Chile), Bogotá (Colombia), Quito (Ecuador), Tegucipalco (Honduras), Chihuahua and Mexico City (Mexico), and Lima (Peru).