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Amazon Day: Brazilian cities drive climate action beyond fight against deforestation – EnviroNews
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As Brazil marks Amazon Day on September 5, 2026, attention is increasingly turning to the role of cities in protecting the world’s largest tropical rainforest and building resilience against climate change.
While efforts to curb deforestation remain central to safeguarding the Amazon, the challenge of protecting the region extends beyond the forest itself. Millions of people live in Amazonian cities, where decisions on infrastructure, public services, waste management, transportation and economic development will significantly shape the region’s ability to withstand the growing impacts of climate change.
Brazil’s deforestation alerts in 2026 fell to their lowest level in the historical series recorded by the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), marking an important milestone in forest protection. However, climate action in the Amazon is increasingly being recognised as a challenge that must also be addressed at the municipal level.
Since COP30 in Belém last year, the Brazil Mutirão Programme – a joint initiative of C40 Cities and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM) – has been supporting 11 cities across the Amazon region to strengthen climate governance, improve public-sector capacity and develop practical solutions to local environmental challenges.
Cities including Altamira, Barcarena, Boa Vista, Cáceres, Parintins and Rio Branco are strengthening climate governance structures and developing local climate action plans designed to help authorities better understand climate risks, identify major sources of greenhouse gas emissions and prioritise measures for mitigation and adaptation.
Other participating municipalities are advancing targeted climate projects. Ananindeua and Benevides are developing organic waste management initiatives aimed at cutting methane emissions and promoting a circular economy. Belém and Porto Velho are pursuing sustainable urban mobility projects, including improvements to public transport systems and fleet electrification.
Rio Branco is combining the development of its climate action plan with efforts to strengthen waste management systems.
Hélinah Cardoso, Engagement Lead for the C40 x GCoM Mutirão Programme, said the initiative was designed to ensure that climate planning translates into practical interventions suited to the realities of individual Amazonian territories.
“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,” Cardoso said.
“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 Legacy Beyond COP30
The programme is also being positioned as part of the broader legacy of cooperation generated around COP30, demonstrating how partnerships established during the climate conference can continue to support climate action after the global gathering.
The initiative brings together local and national governments, technical experts and development partners to translate international climate commitments into policies and projects capable of improving the resilience of Brazilian cities.
It works in coordination with Brazil’s Federal Government, 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 global importance of the Amazon means that effective climate action must extend from the forest to the rapidly growing urban centres within the region.
“The Amazon is at the heart of the global climate agenda, but its transformation also depends on cities’ ability to plan and act,” Jiménez said.
“It is at the municipal level that decisions about infrastructure, public services and development take shape and directly affect people’s lives.”
Technology Supporting Local Climate Decisions
Technology is also playing an increasingly important role in helping municipalities design and implement climate policies.
One of the tools supporting the process is the City Climate Compass, an artificial intelligence-powered platform developed by C40 Cities and GCoM. The platform combines climate data with information on local emissions, risks and vulnerabilities to help municipalities identify and prioritise climate action.
The initiative is already working with 50 Brazilian municipalities and has developed a public climate information database that provides local governments with data to assess their key risks, opportunities and potential climate interventions.
Rio Branco is among the cities using the platform to support the development of its climate action plan, with the tool helping authorities identify priorities based on the specific environmental and socioeconomic conditions of the territory.
The City Climate Compass was developed using a methodology adapted to the Brazilian context and cross-references emissions profiles, climate risks and vulnerabilities with potential mitigation and adaptation measures.
Sandino Lamarca, Senior Data Manager for C40 and GCoM, said expanding access to data and technological tools was critical to enabling local governments to make informed climate 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,” Lamarca said.
“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.”
As Brazil commemorates Amazon Day, the initiatives highlight an increasingly important dimension of efforts to safeguard the rainforest: protecting the Amazon will require not only preserving its forests but also building sustainable, resilient and climate-ready cities for the millions of people who call the region home.
The Brazil Mutirão Programme is a strategic initiative of C40 Cities and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy aimed at accelerating climate action in Brazilian cities through cooperation among local governments, the Federal Government and international partners.