Within the framework of the 1st Resilient Green Cities Meeting, which took place in Brasília on March 27th and 28th, ICLEI, together with representatives from the federal, state, and municipal governments, promoted the launch event of the LGMA National Coordination Group for COP 30 in Brazil. Since 1995, the Constituency of Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA) has represented networks of local and regional governments within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), as one of the nine Main Groups established at the Earth Summit (Rio-92), with the aim of facilitating stakeholder participation in the United Nations system. 

The relevance of LGMA and the Brazilian context

ICLEI is LGMA's spokesperson at the Climate COPs and seeks to represent and highlight the relevance of subnational governments in the implementation of climate policies, ensuring the presence of these actors in crucial areas of the global sustainability agenda. One of the results of this advocacy work was the launch, during COP 28, of the High Ambition Coalition for Multilevel Partnerships (CHAMP), a commitment signed by governments of several countries, including Brazil, which aims to improve consultation and collaboration between national and subnational leaders in the planning, financing, implementation and monitoring of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and other national sustainability plans. 

At COP 29 in 2024, Brazil presented an updated NDC, which includes a “Commitment to climate federalism between the Union, States and Municipalities,” with a direct reference to CHAMP. Taking this into account, and also the strong engagement of Brazilian local government networks and associations demonstrated in discussions on the COP 30 agenda, ICLEI, as the focal point of the Constituency, proposed the creation of a National LGMA Coordination Group for COP 30 in Brazil, also considering that many of the organizations that are part of LGMA at the global level have operations in the country.  

The main objectives of this coordination group will be: 

• To convene regular dialogues with the COP 30 Presidency to present and

to exchange ideas on the Convention's negotiating agenda, from the perspective of

subnational governments and the Constituency LGMA.

• Develop ideas for building the legacy of climate federalism at COP 30.
• To exchange opinions and experiences with the LGMA Constituency at a global level on the role of multilevel collaboration and urbanization in climate action, creating synergies and opportunities for exchange and collaboration between national associations from various countries, networks, and other interested actors.

Participation and contribution of the three levels of government

The launch meeting was attended by approximately 50 people, representing all three levels of government, as well as various subnational government associations such as the Brazilian Association of Municipalities (ABM), the National Front of Mayors (FNP), the Brazilian Association of State Environmental Entities (ABEMA), and international networks of local governments and United Nations agencies such as UN-Habitat, the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM), C40, the Under 2 Coalition, among many others. 

The Minister of Cities, Jader Barbalho Filho, who delivered the keynote address at the meeting, emphasized the importance of coordinating subnational governments worldwide in advance and recognized COP 30 as an opportunity to make global leaders understand the reality of an Amazonian city, which is usually outside the axis of cities that host this type of event. “The federated entities of Brazil and the world need to play a leading role at COP 30 because it is in the cities where the problems are concentrated, such as in the city of Barcarena (PA), where the population suffers from a lack of basic sanitation, the consequences of flooding, and where more housing units are needed,” the minister exemplified. The Minister also announced that the Ministry of Cities will have a pavilion at COP 30: “I requested that we have a specific pavilion for cities – and I want to emphasize: it is not a pavilion of the ministry, they are different things. The leading role should belong to the states and municipalities of Brazil and the world,” the minister stated.

The Ministry of the Environment also played a major role in the discussions through the participation of Adalberto Maluf, National Secretary for Urban Environment and Environmental Quality, who highlighted the Green and Resilient Cities Program (PCVR) as an innovative, participatory, and ambitious platform that brings together the federal government, subnational governments, and civil society. “The main effect of the PCVR is the integration of urban, climate, social, and economic policies, bringing climate finance to the center of the debate and overcoming the challenge of implementation. Cities are leading on issues such as urban afforestation, nature-based solutions, sustainable land use, mobility, waste management, circular economy, low-carbon technologies, sustainable construction, energy efficiency, and renewable energies,” said Adalberto, who also commented that in Brazil there is integration of the three levels of government and that climate federalism is the only solution to the challenges of the century.

Anna Flávia de Senna Franco, Deputy Executive Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment (MMA), represented Minister Marina Silva and highlighted that the Brazilian Constitution already establishes principles for inter-federative integration, just as SISNAMA strengthens the participation of states and municipalities in the National Environmental Policy. “Democracy in Brazil, despite being solidified, demands a continuous effort of collective and inclusive construction. The participation of all representatives, including SISNAMA bodies such as ABEMA and ANAMMA, and entities such as CNM, the National Front of Mayors, ABM, and the CB27 Forum, is essential. The more open the debate, the greater the success in facing climate challenges.”. 

Priority issues for cities at COP 30

Bruna Cerqueira, Manager of the Extraordinary Advisory Office for COP 30 at the Ministry of the Environment, offered important insights into the Brazilian government's priorities for COP 30: adaptation, at the center of the debate, just transition, and financing. In the context of adaptation, she highlights that the goal is to position it on an equal footing with mitigation in climate discussions, which is especially relevant for cities. Besides being central points in the implementation of this agenda, they need to define adaptation indicators for the coming cycles. Regarding financing, Bruna emphasizes that it is essential to seek a clearer understanding of what is expected in terms of funding flows for subnational governments, and for this it is necessary to understand what types of resources are needed and how they can be applied in the territory. “COP 30 offers the opportunity to review the action agenda for the next five years, integrating municipalities in themes such as tripling renewables, doubling energy efficiency, and reversing deforestation. It is crucial to define the role of municipalities and the concrete instruments to advance on these issues.”. 

Debate on the establishment of the LGMA National Coordination Group for COP 30 

The launch event for the LGMA National Coordination Group for COP 30 in Brazil brought together key actors from the Constituency, associations and coalitions of subnational, municipal and state governments, and stakeholders involved in implementing the national and global climate agenda, especially at the local level. The objective was to promote a debate regarding the group's proposed functioning and also to gather comments and suggestions on how to leverage climate federalism within the framework of COP 30. 

Yunus Arikan, Director of Global Advocacy at ICLEI and focal point of the LGMA Constituency, highlighted that this is the first time a national LGMA coordination has been established and that this already represents a Brazilian legacy for the COP process. “In the countries we visited recently, there were no networks or a demand like this. So, there is a legacy that should serve as inspiration, and I was very pleased by the presence of global and national partners gathered here showing how we can move forward,” Yunus concluded. He also presented to the group how the constituency is organized globally and what the main opportunities for political advocacy are for the LGMA this year.

Helinah Cardoso, representative of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM) and the C40 network, emphasized that COP 30 should recognize multi-level partnerships and CHAMP as positive contributions to advancing the NDCs and more ambitious climate actions. She proposed the creation of a new mechanism to involve subnational entities in the negotiation process, to be implemented within three to five years, and the inclusion of subnational entities in the 2028 Global Stocktake, showcasing the ambitions and goals of cities, which would be a major milestone for the process. “COP 30 is seen as the “implementation COP” and “action COP,” where Brazil should show its actions and ask other nations to do the same. However, there are still uncertainties about how to organize and demonstrate these actions at the subnational level. The LGMA can help to make this deliverable tangible, making clearer what we want to show the world.”.

The ICLEI Global and Regional Executive Council was represented by Axel Grael, former Mayor of Niterói and leader of the organization's climate action portfolio, and by Daniela Muller, Coordinator of the Climate Advisory Office of Rio Grande do Sul, who represented the State Secretary for the Environment and Infrastructure, Marjorie Kauffmann, Vice-President of ICLEI. Axel acknowledged that the path to Belém presents challenges to overcome, but above all, many opportunities for engagement, and believes that subnational governments are the key actors in helping to change this scenario. Daniela recalled the extreme events that have plagued the state of Rio Grande do Sul in recent years and that, as a result, the state's climate governance agenda has matured significantly, highlighting that today, only four of the 497 municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul do not have municipal climate change commissions, facilitating coordination between the State and the municipalities. He also mentioned the Proclima 2050 program, which includes actions to address climate change with a multi-level approach, highlighting multi-level governance through municipal commissions as a good example of coordination between levels of government for the implementation of the climate agenda. 

ICLEI will continue to facilitate this coordination group to strengthen the representation of local governments and ensure that Brazilian municipalities and states, as well as those around the world, have their interests represented during the COP 30 discussions in Brazil. In this way, it is hoped that the creation of the LGMA national coordination group will be a legacy for future COPs.

About ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability

ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is the world's largest intergovernmental organization for sustainable development, working with over 2,500 local and regional governments. ICLEI actively supports local governments in promoting sustainable actions, further enhancing global sustainability efforts. Active in over 130 countries, the organization influences sustainability policies for zero-carbon, nature-based, equitable, resilient, and circular development.

Regarding the Constituency of Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA)

Since 1995, the Constituency of Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA) has acted as a representative of local and regional government networks within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), being one of the nine Major Groups established at the Earth Summit, with the aim of facilitating stakeholder participation in the United Nations system. ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is the spokesperson for LGMA at the Climate COPs, and works by influencing UNFCCC negotiations, mobilizing the participation of local and regional leaders in conferences, establishing the action agenda, collaborating with COP presidencies, promoting multi-level action and ensuring that the voices and demands of subnational governments are heard. 

Contact

Fernanda Gouveia Fonseca – Communications Analyst for ICLEI South America: [email protected]