AMAZON DAY: CLIMATE ACTION IN BRAZIL’S MOST IMPORTANT BIOME STARTS IN CITIES

Supported by the Brazil Mutirão program, Amazonian municipalities are developing climate plans and concrete projects through an unprecedented partnership between local governments, the Federal Government and international networks

On September 5, Brazil celebrates Amazon Day, a commemorative date aimed at raising awareness around the world of the importance of preserving the planet's largest tropical rainforest. Protecting the Amazon, however, goes far beyond combating deforestation, which in 2026 reached the lowest level of deforestation alerts in the historical series recorded by Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) . It also means addressing the cities of the region, home to millions of people, where decisions on infrastructure, public services, waste, mobility and economic development help determine how territories will respond to climate change.

Since COP30 in Belém last year, the Brazil Mutirão Program, a joint initiative between C40 Cities and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM), has been supporting 11 Amazonian cities across different areas of climate action, combining planning, strengthened public-sector management and the development of concrete solutions.

Among the cities supported in the Amazon region are Altamira, Barcarena, Boa Vista, Cáceres, Parintins and Rio Branco, which are strengthening their climate governance and developing local climate action plans. These plans help municipalities understand the risks they face, identify their main sources of emissions, and set priorities to reduce these impacts and prepare cities for a changing climate.

Other Amazonian cities are advancing specific projects under the program. Ananindeua and Benevides are working to structure organic waste management initiatives, with a focus on reducing methane emissions and promoting the circular economy. Belém and Porto Velho are advancing sustainable urban mobility projects, including improvements to public transport and fleet electrification. Rio Branco is combining the development of its climate plan with support to strengthen waste management.

Hélinah Cardoso, Engagement Lead for the C40 x GCoM Mutirão Programme, said:

"The result is an approach that moves from planning to concrete action: understanding each city's challenges, defining priorities and creating the conditions for solutions to be developed and implemented according to the reality of each Amazonian territory. This work is being developed collaboratively: partners such as the National Front of Mayors and ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability are helping make the process faster and more effective."

A COP30 legacy

The initiative is part of the legacy of cooperation built around COP30 and demonstrates how this effort can continue after the conference: bringing national and local governments, technical knowledge and the needs of territories closer together to turn climate commitments into real action in Brazilian cities. The program works in close coordination with Federal Government partners, including the Ministry of Cities, the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, the COP30 Presidency and the Council of the Federation.

Belén Jiménez, Senior Engagement Manager at GCoM, said:

"The Amazon is at the heart of the global climate agenda, but its transformation also depends on cities' ability to plan and act. It is at the municipal level that decisions about infrastructure, public services and development take shape and directly affect people's lives."

When technology helps cities plan better

One of the tools helping to accelerate this process is the City Climate Compass , an Artificial Intelligence-powered platform developed by C40 Cities and GCoM that combines climate data, information on local emissions and risks, and artificial intelligence to help municipalities identify and prioritise climate action. The initiative is already working with 50 Brazilian municipalities and has also developed a public climate information database for municipalities across the country. Each municipality can use the data available on the platform to understand its main risks and opportunities and identify actions that make sense for its own context.

The city of Rio Branco is an example of how this approach is being applied in the Amazon. The City Climate Compass is supporting the development of the municipality's climate plan, helping the city prioritise actions based on the risks and opportunities identified in its territory. The tool also demonstrates how technological innovation can help democratise access to climate data. Developed using a methodology adapted to the Brazilian context, the platform cross-references emissions profiles, risks and vulnerabilities with mitigation and adaptation actions to support local decision-making.

For Sandino Lamarca, C40 and GCoM Senior Data Manager , advancing climate action in cities also means expanding access to data and tools that enable governments to make more informed decisions:

"With easier access to information, data and new technologies, cities can turn the complexity of climate challenges into clearer decisions about where and how to act. Climate Compass is part of this effort: helping municipalities understand their risks, identify opportunities and prioritise actions based on their own realities. The goal is for climate planning to move beyond diagnosis and become a tool to guide decisions and transform public policies."

About Brazil Mutirão Program

The Brazil Mutirão Program is a strategic initiative of C40 Cities and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM) that seeks to accelerate the implementation of climate action in Brazilian cities through cooperation between local governments, the national government and international partners.

Launched in the context of Brazil's climate leadership and its presidency of COP30, the programme translates climate ambition into concrete results by strengthening the conditions needed for cities to develop and advance high-impact projects. The initiative supports more than 50 Brazilian municipalities and states in developing 20 projects ready for financing in the areas of sustainable urban mobility and waste management, climate planning in the Amazon, while also mobilising cross-cutting support on climate finance, access to data, climate diplomacy, climate budgeting and inclusive climate action.

The program demonstrates how multilevel partnerships between national and local governments can accelerate the implementation of climate action where it matters most: in cities, positioning Brazil as a global reference for multilevel climate governance and implementation at scale through 2027.

The National Front of Mayors (FNP) acts as a facilitating partner of the program, strengthening engagement with municipal leaders across the country. Mutirão Brasil is implemented in collaboration with a broad coalition of technical partners, including WRI Brasil, ICCT, Instituto 17 + Instituto Pólis (i17), Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance / Climate Policy Initiative (CCFLA / CPI), Urban Climate Change Research Network (UCCRN), ICLEI South America, the Brazilian Council for Sustainable Construction (CBC) and the Brazilian Association of Municipalities (ABM).

The program also maintains strategic coordination with the Ministry of Cities (MCID), the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA), the COP30 Presidency, the Council of the Federation, the Office of the Chief of Staff and other ministries of the Federal Government, strengthening cooperation across different levels of government to accelerate climate action on the ground.