Today, more than 541,300 of the world's population lives in urban centers. According to a study by United Nations (UN), In 2050, That proportion should reach 66%, according to the report.. Brazil has already surpassed this future scenario: 761,300 of the population lives in urban centers, according to revised data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). 

Urbanization directly contributes to increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with cities responsible for 701% of global emissions. In contrast to these emissions, local governments are key players in achieving the goal set by the Paris Agreement of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. After all, it is in cities that decisions directly affecting GHG emissions are made. 

To implement local climate action, it is necessary to understand the emissions profile, that is, what are the main sources and anthropogenic activities that generate GHG emissions within geographic boundaries. Understanding emissions from deforestation, fuel consumption, industrial processes, agricultural activities and/or waste treatment is the first step for the city to plan its strategy to address the climate crisis. 

The SEEG project arose from the need to generate information at the municipal level to provide an estimate of GHG emissions, offering tools for local, state, and national governments to support decision-making and the climate planning process. The data made available by the SEEG platform is generated on a national scale in an open and free manner. 

Rodrigo Perpétuo, executive secretary of ICLEI South America, states that SEEG is a public policy benchmarking tool for cities: “Through scientific data, made available free of charge by the tool, which will guide implementation actions against the climate emergency in cities, providing scale so that local actions contribute to the transformation of global climate emergency agendas.”. 

According to data collected by SEEG and presented at an online event organized by the Climate Observatory, 7 of the 10 cities that emit the most emissions in Brazil are located in the North region, and these emissions are mainly due to activities associated with deforestation. 

Some data from the report:

• In 2018, agriculture was the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in 65.81 Tbp of Brazilian municipalities, out of a total of 3,666 municipalities.
• Municipalities located in the states of Mato Grosso, Pará, and Mato Grosso do Sul are among the 20 that issued the most taxes from the agricultural sector in 2018, due to having the largest cattle herds.
• São Paulo leads the energy sector, with 12.4 million tons, followed by Manaus (6.2 MT) and Rio de Janeiro (6 MT).
• More populous municipalities, such as capital cities, have the energy sector as their main source of emissions, primarily due to the consumption of fossil fuels (diesel and gasoline) in transportation.
• Despite being more populous, São Paulo has recovered methane from two landfills (São João and Bandeirantes, which are currently inactive), recovering approximately 55,000 tons of CH4 in 2018.
• In the Cerrado region, among the largest emitters are the municipalities in the agricultural expansion area of Matopiba (the agricultural frontier between Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí, and Bahia).
• The industrial processes sector is characterized by a scarcity of activity data that would allow for more precise estimates of its associated emissions.
• Florianópolis is the motor capital: 62% of the city's emissions come from transportation. Closely following on the list, tied, are Brasília and Curitiba, with 59%.

As a leading sustainability organization in South America and the main articulator of these agendas with local governments, ICLEI South America participates in the SEEG project, estimating emissions from the waste sector. This initiative promotes the democratization and transparency of data and encourages debate with various actors in civil society, a result that directly supports the development of studies and public policies that assist cities in planning climate action. 

Understanding the emissions of Brazilian municipalities is the first step towards effective actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.All the data presented during the meeting is available at: http://seeg.eco.br

Watch the full SEEG Municipalities launch event.  

The project is a partnership between ICLEI South America, Climate Observatory, IPAM, Energy and Environment Institute, Imaflora Brazil e Imazon Courses and is funded by European Union in Brazil, Oak Foundation Climate and Society Institute e Climate and Land Use Alliance.