Compiling exclusive Google data on sources of greenhouse gas emissions in urban environments, the platform Environmental Insights Explorer (EIE) was presented to the Brazilian public on August 24th, in an open training session held by ICLEI South America, through the project. Action Fund Brazil.

In addition to measuring emissions, the EIE also helps identify local strategies for reducing them, with the goal of helping society build a more resilient, sustainable, and prosperous world.

“The time to act is now. This data empowers the people and organizations that want to participate in this movement,” says Patrícia Castro, a measurement and attribution specialist at Google and representative of the company's Sustainability Committee in Brazil.

She points out that more than 701 Tbp of global CO²e (carbon dioxide equivalent) emissions come from cities and emphasizes the importance of public policies being able to change this reality. “Access to data is still expensive and limited. The EIE aggregates information free of charge for cities that want to commit to the environment.”

Currently, the platform publicly provides data from five South American cities (Curitiba, Porto Alegre, São Paulo, and Belo Horizonte in Brazil, and Buenos Aires in Argentina). The EIE provides an estimate of emissions from buildings and annual transportation activity, as well as identifying opportunities for reducing CO²e emissions. “Google Maps data can estimate the amount of energy buildings use and the resulting emissions. It is also possible to customize the data to adapt it to a regional situation,” explains Castro.

One of the highlights of the EIE is the ability to measure the daily incidence of solar energy in a given area, depending on factors such as location, shape, and roof inclination. "From this, we can determine the solar potential of some roofs, seeking to understand how viable this solution is for that region."“

During the event, streamed on the ICLEI South America YouTube channel, Castro answered several questions from participants, including about the best method for including data in the EIE (Environmental Impact Assessment) for any interested city. See the full training below:

Partnership between ICLEI South America and Google.org, the Action Fund Brazil will benefit up to Four non-profit organizations will be selected to execute impactful and innovative projects in Curitiba (PR) and Porto Alegre (RS). The projects must utilize public data, such as that from the EIE, and engage with local climate strategies.

Invited to speak about these strategies, the training session was attended by the Secretary of the Environment of Curitiba, Marilza Dias, and the Secretary of the Environment and Sustainability of Porto Alegre, Germano Bremm.

Curitiba: "Society needs to embrace this transformation."“

Marilza Dias, The Secretary of the Environment of Curitiba spoke about the trajectory of climate planning in the capital of Paraná since 2009, with the creation of the Climate Change Forum, the preparation of emissions inventories and climate risk assessments, and adherence to the Urban-LEDS II program and to... Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM-LAC), between others.

This process will culminate in 2021 with the implementation of the municipality's Climate Action Plan, developed by C40 with the support of ICLEI South America.

The secretary also spoke about Curitiba's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions profile and the necessary pillars for climate planning. "Society needs to embrace this transformation, otherwise we won't see results," Dias stated.

In this regard, the department conducted an online survey between June and July with a questionnaire about climate change. More than 650 citizens participated in the survey, and more than 901 of them stated that they have noticed changes in the climate of Curitiba.

“The fact that the population has access to an open data tool is very important for them to understand how much their activities contribute to emissions, both those that cause impact and those that reduce it,” reflects Dias, who is optimistic about the Action Fund Brazil project. “It is important to encourage engagement and participation in this issue and to enable non-profit organizations to support the necessary actions to combat climate change.”

Porto Alegre: "We are building a city for people"“

The Secretary of Environment and Sustainability of Porto Alegre, Germano Bremm, lists the reduction of emissions in the transportation, waste, and stationary energy sectors as the city's main environmental challenges.

“Since vehicles are the biggest emitters of pollution, we are reversing the logic of cities designed for cars and building a city for people,” says Bremm, citing actions to encourage active mobility and prioritize public transportation.

In January of this year, a complementary law established the Municipal Policy for Sustainability, Addressing Climate Change, and Rational Use of Energy. Then, in July, the local government presented the Municipal Policy for Reverse Logistics, which legislates on the disposal and destination of packaging, light bulbs, batteries, electronics, tires, and medications. "It's an opportunity to share responsibility with industry and waste producers."“

Bremm also highlights the preservation of 21,000 square meters of public green areas in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, the planting of 1,865 tree seedlings that will take place in the second half of 2020, and the Public Lighting PPP, which in 20 years will replace 100,000 lighting points with LED lamps, which last longer and generate less waste.

International prominence

“Both Curitiba and Porto Alegre are cities with international prominence in terms of urban planning and the integration of sustainability and climate criteria into their urban dynamics,” says Rodrigo Perpétuo, executive secretary of ICLEI South America.

Registration is open until September 6th., The Action Fund Brazil will support opportunities to think and act with innovation and creativity, in favor of more sustainable and better cities to live in. "Expectations are very high for the implementation of these initiatives, mobilizing civil society in harmony with public policies promoted and organized by the local government," concludes Perpétuo.