Cities and States Put Nature-Based Solutions at the Heart of Climate Action in Rio

At the COP30 Local Leaders Forum in Rio de Janeiro, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy-City Climate Finance Gap Fund Partnership team joined CDP Latam, Consorcio Brasil Verde (CBV), and Centro Brasil no Clima (CBC) to host "Nature's Climate Potential: Connecting Financing Opportunities for Subnational Governments."

The session brought together more than 50 participants from across Latin America - governors, mayors, financiers, and technical experts - to tackle a key challenge: how to scale nature-based climate action through effective partnerships and access to finance.

Over three hours, the conversation moved from principles to practice, showing how partnerships between cities and states and collaboration with national governments represent an opportunity to transform different approaches of nature-based solutions into a viable financial case.

Connecting the Dots: Partnerships and Finance for Nature

Moderated by Johanna Granados , the first panel explored how to connect local priorities with international and national finance flows. This panel featured the distinguished participation of Alice Amorim , Program Director of the COP30 Presidency, setting the tone by highlighting the role of nature in building resilient cities, infrastructure, and water systems - one of the six priorities of Brazil's COP30 Action Agenda.

"When we talk about "nature," let's remember it's not only about forests: we're also talking about Nature-based Solutions in cities, about oceans, and about biodiversity as a whole (…) We want COP30 to leave Belém with a clear understanding that nature is a vital part of the climate equation", highlighted Alice Amorim.

Panelists from Argentina, Brazil, and international finance institutions spoke candidly about what's working and what isn't. Ana Costa (BNDES) discussed the bank's efforts to simplify access to funds for states and municipalities. María Victoria Flores (Córdoba Province, Argentina) commented on the mission of the Alianza Verde Argentina, a brand new coalition of six Argentinian provincial governments working on climate action, while Xueman Wang (World Bank) highlighted the importance of integrating traditional grey infrastructure with the multiple benefits of nature-based infrastructure. Finally, Eduardo Leite (Governor of Rio Grande do Sul) addressed how state governments support the fulfilment of national commitments and facilitate climate action at the local level, with special references to the tragic flood events that the state faced in 2024.

The discussion underscored that scaling nature-based projects depends on aligning policy, expertise, and finance - and that subnational actors are best placed to make that alignment happen.

"Authentic climate leadership and action happen on the frontlines, in our cities. This conversation sits at the intersectional space where subnational leadership meet opportunities for financing climate action at the local level. Subnational governments are driving the global climate agenda. Through strong partnerships and multilevel collaboration, we're building the collective, transformative solutions forging the sustainable urban future we all deserve", said Johanna Granados Alcala.

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Nature as a Multi-Solution Pathway

The second half of the session turned the spotlight to practice: how nature-based solutions are already transforming cities and landscapes. Moderated by Guilherme Ponce (CDP Latam), the panel featured voices from across the region and beyond - from the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) to Resilient Cities Catalyst , Instituto PCI , and Belém's local government .

The room felt less like a formal panel and more like a shared learning space. Participants compared challenges, swapped insights, and recognized how much common ground exists across Latin America's states and cities. From identifying viable revenue streams to aligning with national priorities, the message was clear: success comes from collaboration.

The panel was closed by Renato Casagrande, Governor of Espiritu Santo and President of the Green Brazil Consortium (CBV), who recalled on the origination of the consortium and underscored the need to deepen involvement and experiences of state and local governments in nature-based solutions for climate action.

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Shared Learning, Shared Momentum

The session also featured the launch of the Brazilian States Climate Solutions Bank , an initiative from iCS, CBC, and Plataforma CIPÓ to support project development at the state level - a tangible step toward financing nature-based solutions at scale.

This event also marked a closing milestone for the 2025 training sessions for the 15 state governments members of the Consortium. This capacity-building series was part of the agreement between CBV, CBC and GCoM-Gap Fund Partnership LAC team, with the purpose of strengthening the involvement of state governments in climate action leading up to COP30.

Rio showed that nature can be the bridge between ambition and implementation - and Latin America's cities and regions are beginning to cross it.