April 6, Brasília, Brazil – Four Brazilian cities started the first training cycle of the Cities of Distinction Program today. With funding from the European Union, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM Americas) selected fifteen cities to join the group of Cities of Distinction in Latin America. These cities were chosen based on their climate history and, for a year, will participate in a series of training sessions and tutorials to advance in the preparation, financing, and implementation of their local climate action projects.
“We are convinced that cities will be better prepared to promote climate projects and, above all, to access funding sources that will lead to the implementation of tangible actions in the lives of citizens,” said Hélinah Cardoso, coordinator of the Covenant for the Americas. During the opening session, Cardoso emphasized the magnitude of this innovative alliance initiative, which will undoubtedly contribute to the progress of cities.
The four Brazilian Cities of Distinction—Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and Serra Talhada—make up the first training cycle, followed by five Spanish-speaking cities in the second cycle and six more cities in the third cycle. During each cycle, participants will have access to key concepts on climate financing and the development of financially viable projects.
The main goal of these training sessions and tutorials is to ensure that all cities can develop their local projects during the training, receiving personalized feedback in each session and making progress week by week to present their project to financing institutions or technical assistance.
Additionally, technical teams from the leading cities will have the opportunity to participate in a mentoring program with a group of institutions and international organizations recognized for their work in the field of financing.
Each cycle consists of eight virtual meetings that will take place every two weeks. In addition to the training and mentoring offered by the Covenant and ICLEI South America, participating groups can interact with national and international professionals in climate financing.
Rodrigo Corradi, Deputy Executive Secretary of ICLEI, expressed his satisfaction in being part of the initiative. “It is an honor for ICLEI to implement the climate financing training component for the Cities of Distinction. These cities are already at the forefront of their local climate policy. Now, he concluded that they will receive this training and guidance to increase their ability to access available financial resources and effectively apply them in their public policies”, he concluded.
This initiative represents a unique opportunity for participating cities to exchange experiences and knowledge and make progress in the fight against climate change. It is expected that these fifteen selected Cities of Distinction can lead the way to a more sustainable future for the entire Latin American region.
About the Brazilian cities selected for the first cycle
The four Brazilian cities that initiated activities have made progress in their climate actions and are already fully compliant with the initiative. They have received recognition medals for their adaptation and mitigation actions.
Belo Horizonte has implemented several measures to address the impact of climate change. The city established a Climate Action Plan that includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy efficiency, and increasing the city’s resilience. It has also promoted the creation of green areas and the implementation of clean technologies in public transportation.
Rio de Janeiro has undertaken a series of initiatives to address the impacts of climate change. The city created a Climate Action Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy. It has also implemented programs for waste treatment and the conservation of green areas.
Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes emphasized the importance of joining the Global Covenant of Mayors, allowing the city to learn from other experiences in addressing the climate crisis. “We need to understand that the extraordinary events of climate change will no longer be extraordinary. They will be constant in our lives, so Brazilian mayors need to come together and embrace this agenda to face this challenge together.”
The municipality of Salvador has also taken measures to address the impacts of climate change. The city developed a Climate Action Plan that includes implementing renewable energy and promoting energy efficiency. Salvador has also carried out projects for waste management and biodiversity conservation.
Salvador Mayor Bruno Reis emphasized that cities are increasingly experiencing the effects of climate change and need to take action: “We mayors have to invest more and more resources to face these changes. Therefore, this joint initiative with the European Union and other organizations is crucial to help improve the qualification of our technical teams, prepare them, and train them so that we can have the conditions to create various public policies that can mitigate the effects of climate change.”
Serra Talhada has undertaken various initiatives to address the impacts of climate change. The city established a Climate Action Plan that promotes renewable energy and improves energy efficiency. The municipality has also implemented programs for waste management and the conservation of green areas.
Finally, Mayor Márcia Conrado emphasized that local governments need and value all the support institutions like the Covenant and the European Union can provide. “Serra Talhada feels very honored to be the only small municipality participating at the moment, to receive this training that I am sure will contribute considerably to the training of our technicians.”
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