The city of Belém (PA), which will host the 30th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP30), is strengthening the role of children in addressing the climate crisis. From July to September 2025, the municipality will hold 20 Plant-for-the-Planet Academies, with the direct participation of one thousand children from the municipal public school system.

The initiative is promoted with the support of the Belém City Hall, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, the Climate Emergency Collaboration Group (CECG), and the Plant-for-the-Planet Foundation itself. The activities are part of the city's environmental policy and reflect Belém's commitment to inclusive climate action, which values the participation of children in building a more sustainable future.

Plant-for-the-Planet Academies are playful learning spaces where children learn about the causes and impacts of climate change, develop local projects, and are recognized as Climate Justice Ambassadors. At the end of the activity cycle, at least ten projects conceived by the children themselves will receive financial support through the Seed Fund, ensuring that ideas are transformed into concrete actions in their communities and schools.

The first Academy was held at the Donatilda Lopes Municipal Preschool in Mosqueiro, one of the 42 islands that make up the territory of Belém. The initiative trained 50 children from the 4th and 5th grades, who actively participated in workshops and the planting of approximately 30 seedlings of different species, with the support of the Municipal Secretariat of the Environment (SEMMA) and the Municipal Secretariat of Education and Culture (SMEC).

During the activity, the children also contributed to the school's environmental education project action plan, reflecting on its implementation and proposing ways to engage peers and families. The Plant-for-the-Planet methodology, when integrated into local environmental policy, strengthens social engagement from childhood and expands climate mobilization in the territories.

This initiative exemplifies how public policies focused on climate action can and should consider the role of youth and children as protagonists of transformation. In Belém, building the legacy of COP30 has already begun, and it rests in the hands of future generations.