Thirty-four municipalities in Rio de Janeiro will host, between August 5th and September 11th, the first cycle of participatory workshops to support the diagnosis of... Development of Local Climate Action Plans (PLACs) in 34 municipalities across the seven hydrographic regions of the state of Rio de Janeiro.. The plans will contribute to specific planning for reducing the impacts of climate change tailored to each territory, taking into account its local characteristics.

These actions are part of the Resilient Environment Program, an initiative of the Rio de Janeiro State Secretariat for the Environment and Sustainability in partnership with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability.

The workshops will encourage dialogue among participants about the impacts of climate change on their territories, identifying vulnerabilities, challenges, and local priorities. The contributions gathered will be integrated into municipal climate diagnoses, which will serve as the basis for the second cycle of participatory workshops. Scheduled for November 2026, the new cycle will discuss strategies and priorities for the development of the 34 Local Climate Action Plans. The completion of the plans is scheduled for 2027.

The 34 municipalities included are: Angra dos Reis, Araruama, Barra do Piraí, Barra Mansa, Belford Roxo, Bom Jardim, Cabo Frio, Cachoeiras de Macacu, Duque de Caxias, Guapimirim, Itaboraí, Japeri, Mangaratiba, Maricá, Mesquita, Nova Friburgo, Nova Iguaçu, Paracambi, Paraíba do Sul, Paraty, Petrópolis, Queimados, Resende, Rio Bonito, Rio Claro, São Gonçalo, Sapucaia, Seropédica, Silva Jardim, Tanguá, Teresópolis, Três Rios, Valença and Volta Redonda.

The workshops will be open to the local population. To participate, contact the focal point in your municipality. Check the dates, locations, and contact information for each workshop: tinyurl.com/34PLACsRJ 

PLACs Methodology

The development of Local Climate Action Plans is primarily based on the City Resilience Action Planning (CityRAP) tool, developed by UN-Habitat and the Sub-Regional Technical Centre for Disaster Risk Management, Sustainability and Urban Resilience (DiMSUR) to support municipalities in the participatory construction of urban resilience strategies.

The methodology offers a step-by-step approach to integrating popular participation into local climate planning through training, exercises, and collaborative activities structured around five pillars of planning for resilience:

• Urban governance and social participation;
• Urban planning and the environment;
• Resilient infrastructure and basic services;
• Urban economy, finance and society;
• Disaster risk management.

The development of these plans involves the participation of professionals from different sectors of society and municipal departments, such as public administration, finance, education, culture, health, infrastructure, housing, mobility, public safety, civil defense, tourism, agriculture, biodiversity and ecosystems, among others. This diversity of knowledge and experience contributes to the creation of more comprehensive, feasible plans aligned with local needs, strengthening their integrated and participatory implementation.

“CityRAP is an excellent tool that supports climate planning, especially in small and medium-sized cities. Its step-by-step process can be replicated for different realities and used by people from different areas. We expect an active role from municipalities in building this cross-cutting agenda, so that the plans reflect the territorial specificities, opportunities, and challenges of each locality.”
Rayne Ferretti, Head of the UN-Habitat Office in Brazil

Each municipality has two focal points responsible for coordinating the implementation of the CityRAP methodology at the local level, supporting data collection and analysis, the development and validation of technical products, and for mobilizing strategic stakeholders and encouraging community engagement throughout the process of developing the Local Action Plans (LAPs).

Service

Participatory Workshops for the 34 Local Climate Action Plans (PLACs) in Rio de Janeiro

• When: between August 5th and September 11th
• How to participate?Contact the focal point for your municipality at tinyurl.com/34PLACsRJ

Press contacts:

• Alexia Saraiva ([email protected])
• Ludmilla Balduíno ([email protected])
• Giovanna Galvani ([email protected])