President of the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago announced the formal establishment of a council to engage with society and local authorities on solutions for climate change adaptation, according to Agência Brasil. Corrêa do Lago reiterated that the issue of adaptation to climate change will be one of the main themes of COP30, which will take place in November in the Amazonian city of Belém, in the state of Pará. “The adaptation council for COP30 includes several Brazilian figures who will support us in this dialogue with civil society and local authorities,” said Corrêa do Lago. The ambassador spoke via teleconference at the event, which took place in São Paulo.
Strengthening climate adaptation
In the lead-up to COP30, Brazil is implementing notable initiatives to strengthen climate adaptation at multiple levels of government. One such initiative is the AdaptaCidades program, which is designed to train state and municipal civil servants in developing climate adaptation and resilience plans. This program emphasizes the concept of “climate federalism,” a coordinated effort among the federal government, states, and municipalities to address climate change collectively while respecting local realities.
According to the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment, extreme weather events have already impacted 1.57 million homes and caused total losses of approximately BRL 421 billion across various sectors, underscoring the urgency of adaptation measures.
Additionally, Brazil has launched the Green Resilient Model Cities Program to support 50 cities with high-impact climate actions focused on both mitigation and adaptation. This program is a partnership between the Brazilian Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM), and C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, with financial support from Bloomberg Philanthropies. It aims to accelerate implementation of local climate solutions by providing technical support for urban resilience building, including restoring green areas and electrifying bus fleets. This local governance engagement aligns with the Coalition for High Ambition Multi-Level Partnerships (CHAMP) initiative to reinforce climate federalism across Brazil.
Urban population focus
Urban areas in Brazil represent over 85 percent of the population, making cities focal points for both climate impact and response efforts, according to UN Habitat and the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The emphasis on municipal capacity building and partnerships reflects the recognition that local governments are best positioned to anticipate climate risks and implement effective adaptation strategies.
These efforts coincide with Brazil’s broader Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), aiming to enhance both mitigation and adaptation ambitions ahead of COP30. The COP30 adaptation council will play a key role in integrating civil society and local authority perspectives into these national and international climate agendas.
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