What can be expected from the future of Campinas and the surrounding region in the post-pandemic era? The Campinas 2030 seminar raised this question and explored how the coronavirus impacted the implementation of public policies for sustainability in cities, as well as the main challenges to improving the quality of life of their inhabitants according to the goals set out in the Sustainable Development Goals.

According to the Envolverde Agency, which organized the seminar alongside other entities, public management has long faced serious problems in administering large metropolitan areas and building more resilient cities. The coronavirus pandemic has further exacerbated this issue, making the path to creating more sustainable cities even more difficult. 

The first panel of the seminar took place on August 27th, and the main topic discussed was public policies for sustainability.

According to Luiz Fernando de Araújo Bueno, Sustainability Director at CIESP Campinas, the challenges posed by the implementation of public policies aimed at creating sustainable cities were already difficult even before the pandemic, and have now become enormous.

“One important point is that, during the pandemic, we heard much more about sustainability because, at that time, the financial aspects of companies and governments were involved, and sustainability began to be seen as something strategic. If you, your company, or your city don't talk about sustainability, you won't attract investment from any funder. The coronavirus came to show us a new reality, and in this new reality, the issue of sustainability is much more important.”.

Representing the Secretariat of Green Areas, Environment and Sustainable Development of Campinas, Andrea Struchel states that population growth is an issue that needs to be addressed. Today, seven billion people inhabit, consume, and unfortunately pollute the planet. “Globally, the trend is for 701,300 of the population to migrate from rural to urban areas. Within this scenario, the challenges of infrastructure and access to services, especially public services, are growing, and how can we do this sustainably?” asks Struchel. She cited the creation of an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions for Campinas as a starting point for the creation of a law establishing policies to address climate change.

Rogério Menezes, former Secretary of the Environment of Campinas and former national president of ANAMMA, believes it is necessary to resume discussions on sustainability and international cooperation agreements on the Brazilian national agenda. "This will allow us to attract a return of investments, which is a crucial issue for the post-Covid-19 economic recovery.". 

Menezes states that the resumption of these issues, aligned with the vocation of the Campinas metropolitan area for science, in partnership with local universities, research and technology institutes, has drawn the attention of investors to the region's economic potential, contributing to economic development and including sustainable medium- and long-term perspectives. 

“What Campinas has been doing is exemplary,” says Rodrigo Perpétuo, executive secretary of ICLEI South America. “The Reconecta RMC program supports ICLEI’s INTERACT-Bio project and allows for the creation of a map of ecosystem services that are stressed in the region. It has given us a perspective on where there is potential to explore resources in a sustainable and balanced way.”.

Perpétuo believes that one of the consequences of the pandemic was the increased awareness among local authorities regarding the green areas in their regions, recognizing the value of biodiversity and the need to view this natural asset as something to be protected and valued, not as an additional cost to the administration. “The cities of 2030 will not only bring people together to produce goods and services on the one hand, and consume those goods and services on the other. In 2030, cities must be places of harmonious and fraternal coexistence among their citizens.”

The president of the Ethos Institute Council, Ricardo Young, believes that defining the concept of sustainability is a challenge because sustainable development means preserving resources so that future generations can live in the same conditions as present generations. "It's not just a matter of thinking about future generations, but rather managing present resources in a way that can satisfy future generations, in at least equal conditions, considering that they will be more numerous and more demanding."“

According to Young, mayors and candidates will need to address the issue of sustainability beyond what is currently known, and also embrace the politics of sustainability. "Today, the challenge is to have a political administration that deals with the complex thinking behind sustainability; politics needs to adopt this agenda with the necessary technical competence, and not with convenient rhetoric," he concludes.

Learn more about the 2030 Seminar.