Mutirão programme fast-tracks climate action in Brazilian cities

C40 Cities and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM) announced the first 34 cities and two states in Brazil selected to receive technical and finance-structuring support for climate action projects under the Brazil Mutirão programme.

The selected projects focus primarily on urban mobility, waste management, and climate budgeting, with 11 cities in the Amazon region, underscoring its central role in Brazil’s climate agenda following Cop30.

Turn climate ambition into action

Six of these Amazonian cities will also receive support to develop climate action plans. Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Brazil Mutirão programme aims to help local governments turn climate ambition into action by mobilising technical expertise, strengthening institutional coordination, and improving cooperation between Brazil’s national government and local governments to deliver high-impact solutions.

Overall, the programme seeks to reflect the diversity of Brazil’s territory, bringing together cities of different sizes and all geographic regions, spanning 19 states across the country. Among the selected cities are Curitiba, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Salvador, Fortaleza, Belo Horizonte, and Belém, host of Cop30 last year. Two states were also selected: Pernambuco and Rio Grande do Sul.

“By bringing together mayors, national institutions, and global partners, Brazil is demonstrating how collaborative governance can accelerate climate action at scale and more: creating a model that other countries can follow”

The first cities and regions announced will develop climate projects primarily focused on electric mobility, sustainable mobility and organic waste management.

Programme initiatives include:

• Revitalisation and pedestrianisation of Belém’s historic commercial centre through the Belo Centro urban mobility project
• Electrification of Belo Horizonte’s bus system with the deployment of 100 electric buses and charging infrastructure
• Composting initiatives in Curitiba and the Amazonian city of Ananindeua expected to reduce around 5,000 tons of CO₂e methane emissions annually
• A food waste reduction initiative in the state of Rio Grande do Sul that will expand food bank refrigeration and processing capacity, preventing more than 240 tons of edible food waste per year.

Across all announced projects, according to GCoM and C40, cities and regions are expected to deliver significant climate and urban development outcomes. Urban mobility initiatives include the deployment of approximately 600 electric buses, at least three charging terminals, more than 200km of cycling infrastructure, 16km of dedicated bus lanes, nine complete streets or urban parks, and the revitalisation of at least three neighbourhoods.

Meanwhile, waste management projects are expected to enable the treatment of approximately 20,000 tons of organic waste per year, potentially avoiding up to 35,000 tons of CO₂e in methane emissions annually.