Through actions of the NBCities project, Belém is developing its Climate Risk and Vulnerability Analysis alongside an Ecosystem Services Diagnosis, combining resilience and biodiversity for urban adaptation.
With a focus on promoting climate resilience and conserving local biodiversity, Belém is leading efforts to address the challenges posed by climate change. Under the umbrella of the Nature-Based Cities (NBCities) project: Biodiversity and Climate Resilience in Urban Development, funded by the Global Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) Fund and executed by ICLEI South America, Belém is working to integrate biodiversity conservation agendas with climate action. The project aims to strengthen local government capacity, develop planning studies and documents, promote subnational cooperation, and support the development of local policies, involving multiple sectors in strategic decision-making.
Mayor Edmilson Rodrigues, in the presence of the Executive Secretary of ICLEI South America, Rodrigo Perpétuo, pledged in June 2023 to expand protection and conservation of urban ecosystems, promote local climate action, and strengthen resilience within the framework of the NBCities project. Over the next 18 months, Belém will focus on enhancing its local governance through cooperation cycles, developing financeable projects, and consolidating its institutional framework to implement the Ecosystem-based Adaptation Plan. From a technical standpoint, the city is enhancing its capacities on ecosystem services and developing two important studies in collaboration with ICLEI’s technical team: the Ecosystem Services Diagnosis and the Climate Risk and Vulnerability Analysis (ARVC in portuguese). [MORE]
In order to ensure public participation in the development of the Diagnosis and ARVC, representatives from Belém’s Climate Change Forum and civil society members were engaged in a participatory mapping exercise conducted in December 2023 by ICLEI in partnership with the Belém City Hall. In addition to contributions to the NBCities project, this approach aimed to empower citizens to address the city’s climate challenges, including preparation for hosting COP30. [MORE]
In line with the city’s efforts within NBCities and organizing to host COP30, a training on climate resilience and disasters was conducted this February in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), through the Making Cities Resilient (MCR2030) initiative, and ICLEI South America. ICLEI has been a partner in the initiative since its inception and has a long history of cooperation. ICLEI is currently co-coordinating the initiative at a global level with Gino Van Begin and in the Latin America region with Rodrigo Perpétuo, executive secretary of ICLEI South America. More than 70 members of the Climate Change Forum and technicians from the City Hall participated in the virtual workshop, marking the start of Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) initiative’s technical assistance program in Belém. In March, a two-day in-person participatory workshop will be held with the aim of applying the MCR2030 Scorecard tool. The tool seeks to understand the municipality’s level of adaptive capacity from the perspective of local governance. The Scorecard builds on ICLEI’s ARVC methodology and the series of events proposed by UNDRR in preparation for COP. [MORE]
The presentation of the Ecosystem Services Diagnosis and Climate Risk and Vulnerability Analysis will take place during the National Meeting of ICLEI Brazil, which will be held in Belém from April 16 to 19. This event will mark an important moment for the NBCities project, which will continue its development through the proposed deliverables, contributing to the city support journey promoted by ICLEI.
Belém, host city of COP30, is firmly committed to leading by example, demonstrating how the synergy between climate resilience and biodiversity conservation can lead cities towards a more sustainable and prosperous future for their citizens. It is important to highlight the support of the technical staff of Belém City Hall, represented by its various secretariats, mainly the contributions of the Planning and Management secretariats, with Secretary Claudio Puty and the General Director of the Planning and Management secretariat Edilson Rodrigues, as well as the Environment Secretariat , represented by Christiane Ferreira, who play key roles as focal points of the NBCities project.
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