Committed to the Race to Zero campaign and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, the municipality of Canoas in Rio Grande do Sul is working to accelerate its climate ambition towards carbon-neutral emissions by 2050. With the completion of its Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory, In 2020, the city government began discussions to advance locally in the development of climate vulnerability and ecosystem services diagnoses, an action plan, and to go further: educating for sustainability. This Friday, July 8th, in an event with the acting Mayor, Nedy de Vargas Marques, Canoas launched five important projects with ICLEI South America, which will last a total of 18 months and will accelerate its low-carbon and climate crisis-resilient development. These are: Climate Risk and Vulnerability Analysis, Climate Action Plan, Ecosystem Services Assessment, Climate Justice Ambassadors Program, and Sustainable Schools Certification Program.

The Executive Secretary of ICLEI South America, Rodrigo Perpétuo, highlighted Canoas' pioneering role, noting that in 18 months it will accelerate its climate ambitions through integrated and complementary projects in the areas of low carbon, biodiversity, and education. “Canoas is the first ICLEI-affiliated city in the world to have the courage to embark on an integrated and comprehensive journey towards sustainable urban development. Other cities are also moving towards carbon neutrality by 2050, but none are implementing so many complementary initiatives at once. It is a source of pride for ICLEI South America to be part of and support this process, which is necessary for future generations.”

O Acting Mayor Nedy de Vargas Marques highlighted the importance of the action and the students' involvement with sustainability in Canoas.. “All citizens of Canoas are invited to begin this work with us. To that end, it is very important that environmental awareness and participation are also developed with children, with a vision of the present and the future. In addition to the partnership that has existed for some years with ICLEI, the Municipality is reactivating its Climate Change Policy Center (NPMC) and also expanding the partnership for the realization of the Journey to a Greener Canoas, with the development of another series of projects that generate awareness and respect for our planet,” he announced.

Through the Municipal Secretariat of the Environment, technical teams will begin preparing the Climate Risk and Vulnerability Analysis, a diagnosis that will be developed with the support of WayCarbon, through... Move platform. The study will identify the main risks and vulnerabilities of the municipality to the climate crisis, verifying current data and making a future projection for the territory, considering the potential impacts on the population. The diagnosis will be completed in 8 months and will form the basis for the development of the Canoas Climate Action Plan, a planning instrument for climate policy mitigation and adaptation. Its objective is to support the city in achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and reducing the impacts of the climate crisis on the territory, with a focus on the implementation of actions. 

A technical team from the Secretariat of the Environment and ICLEI will also begin preparing an Ecosystem Services Assessment. Through this methodology, Canoas will be able to gain a deeper understanding of the potential of its natural resources and the opportunities for promoting nature-based urban development. After 8 months, the work will be consolidated into an illustrated, visually didactic, and easy-to-understand map. Belo Horizonte, Campinas Metropolitan Region e Londrina Metropolitan Region They already have their maps. 

The Secretary of the Environment, Paulo Ritter, said that "we cannot waste any more time" and that the next 18 months will be fundamental and strategic for Canoas to accelerate its local climate ambition and action.

The city government is also initiating two important sustainability education projects. More than 900 students from eight municipal elementary schools will participate. (EMEF Arthur Pereira de Vargas, EMEF Dr. Nelson Paim Terra, EMEF Jacob Longoni, EMEF Paulo Freire, EMEF Prof. Thiago Wurth, EMEF Rio Grande do Sul, EMEF Santos Dumont and EMEF Sete de Setembro) They will participate in the Climate Justice Ambassadors Program. Developed in partnership with... Plant-for-the-Planet, Through didactic and playful methodologies, environmental education workshops are held for children and young people between 7 and 12 years old, discussing topics such as the climate crisis, urban growth, the environmental, economic and social importance of trees, and the fair distribution of resources. The Plant-for-the-Planet Academies are officially recognized by the United Nations Education Programme for Sustainable Development. As part of the activities, which are expected to last 5 months, native tree seedlings will be planted with the support of the Department of the Environment. 

Furthermore, over the next 10 months, these eight schools will participate in ICLEI's Sustainable Schools Certification Program, which aims to encourage the adoption of sustainable practices and actions through recognition seals for good practices and innovative initiatives. The Certification is based on the principle of integrating all school stakeholders and all areas of activity where changes can be achieved with a positive impact on the local community.

The Secretary of Education, Lucia Elisabeth Silveira Colombo, highlighted the responsibility that the eight selected schools and the students who will benefit from them will have. “Our goal is for all 84 municipal schools in Canoas to become sustainable and have access to climate education. It will then be up to those benefiting from these initiatives to replicate this knowledge for others.”

Also participating in the event were the Deputy Executive Secretary of ICLEI South America, Rodrigo Corradi, the Coordinator of the ICLEI Brazil Office in the South, Cibele Carneiro, the Supervisor of the EMEF Dr. Nelson Paim Terra school, Sonsearay Pereira, the President of the Climate Change Center, Vitor Zizemer, secretaries, public officials, and students from municipal schools.

Cibele Carneiro