On July 11, 2025, ICLEI South America held the third working meeting of the National Coordination Group of Constituency LGMA (Local Governments and Municipal Authorities) for COP30. Held in virtual format, the meeting consolidated the group as the main channel of articulation between networks of Brazilian subnational governments and the process of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), through LGMA Global, at a decisive moment in the preparatory process towards COP30 in Belém.

A few weeks after the conclusion of the 62nd session of the Subsidiary Bodies of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (SB62) in Bonn, marked by impasses on financing, adaptation and just transition, the meeting was a concrete response to the need for Strengthening multilateralism from the territories. While the negotiation rooms revealed geopolitical obstacles and a low level of trust between the parties, The LGMA constituency, both at the global level and in its Brazilian chapter, reaffirmed the potential of subnational governments as catalysts for climate implementation and legitimacy in the COP process..

Urban agenda as key to strengthening the implementation of global agreements.

The meeting was attended by COP30 Special Envoy for Urban Solutions, Philip Yang, who highlighted the importance of the political and institutional moment. For him, COP30 could represent a turning point for the urban and subnational agenda to normatively shape the architecture of the UNFCCC. “Cities have intrinsic and extrinsic merit in the climate agenda. Belém could be the moment when this centrality translates into action and official recognition.”, he stated.

Yang reinforced his commitment to acting as a conduit for the contributions of subnational networks to the COP 30 Presidency and warned of the risks of setbacks in multilateralism. Furthermore, he advocated for building convergences between cities of the North and South and reiterated the need to guarantee real channels of influence for local governments in the Conference's decision-making process.

Focus on implementation: COP 30 Presidency discusses the Action Agenda and convergence of territories.

One of the main points of the meeting was the in-depth discussion of the COP30 Action Agenda, presented through the 4th Letter from the Brazilian Presidency of the Conference, launched during SB62 in Bonn. The document consolidates the Presidency's political vision by proposing that COP30 be a milestone for implementation, connecting global climate ambition to concrete solutions at the territorial level.

The letter calls on all sectors, public and private, national and subnational, to form a true global effort, guided by the Global Balance Sheet (GST) and understood as a “Globally Determined Contribution” (GDC). This collective mobilization seeks to accelerate the delivery of the commitments made in the Paris Agreement, in a convergent effort of climate action, sustainable development and social justice.

Organized into six thematic areas, the Agenda seeks to catalyze solutions in the fields of energy transition, biodiversity protection, food system transformation, urban and water resilience, social justice, and means of implementation, such as financing, technology, and capacity building. Among them, the Axis 4 — which deals with building resilience in cities, infrastructure and water. — was highlighted by participants as a strategic gateway for engaging subnational governments, explicitly recognizing the role of cities and urban infrastructure as pillars of climate adaptation.

During the meeting, Bárbara Godoy, from the Special Advisory Office of the COP30 Presidency, presented the 30 objectives of the Action Agenda and highlighted how subnational governments can contribute directly to achieving these goals, focusing on replicable solutions, voluntary commitments, and integration between different levels of government.

Contributions from the Federal Government to the subnational agenda leading up to COP 30 

The meeting also included the participation of Adalberto Maluf, National Secretary for Urban Environment and Environmental Quality of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and Ambassador Antônio da Costa, Head of the International Advisory Office of the Ministry of Cities. Both presented ongoing initiatives that have a direct interface with the priority themes of COP30, with emphasis on the Green and Resilient Cities Program.

The initiative, conducted through interministerial collaboration, seeks to strengthen municipal capacities for sustainable urban planning, addressing climate vulnerabilities, and incorporating nature-based solutions. With regional workshops, participatory processes, and an action plan under development, the program represents a concrete platform for operationalizing some of the pillars of the Action Agenda across Brazil.

Ambassador Antônio da Costa also commented on the holding of two ministerial meetings at COP that will be related to urban issues: one on urbanization and climate, which is in its fourth edition, led by UN-Habitat. And, as a new feature, a ministerial meeting of the Intergovernmental Council on Buildings and Climate.

CHAMP Strategic Updates: Institutionalizing Multilevel Governance

During the LGMA meeting, Helinah Cardoso, Head of CHAMP (Coalition for High-Ambition Climate Action for Multilevel Partnerships) at GCoM and C40 in Brazil, provided an update on the coalition's progress, highlighting the growing global membership, with 76 signatory countries, and Brazil's leading role in including subnational commitments in its NDC. Four key messages for COP30 were also presented: the formal recognition of subnational actions, the creation of an annual commitment reporting mechanism, the strengthening of the action agenda with multilevel partnerships, and the inclusion of subnational entities in the Belém-Baku climate finance roadmap. Finally, the importance of aligning subnational solutions with the future "Accelerating Solutions" platform of the COP presidency was reinforced.

Political commitment and concrete action on the road to Bethlehem

More than just a technical body, the LGMA Brazil National Coordination Group has established itself as a strategic space for political articulation and the development of qualified proposals for the COP30 process. By promoting convergence between networks, governments, and institutional partners, the group actively contributes to strengthening multilevel climate governance in Brazil and positioning territories as legitimate protagonists of the global climate agenda. With the support of ICLEI South America as facilitator, the group will continue to act as a bridge between the local and the global, ensuring that COP30 reflects solutions rooted in the territories, connected to the reality of the populations, and aligned with the commitments of the Paris Agreement.