LGMA launches National Coordination group in Brazil to elevate subnational voices at COP30
As the world turns its eyes toward Belém, Brazil for the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), local and regional governments across Brazil are stepping forward to ensure their voices are heard. On 28 March 2025, representatives from national ministries, state and municipal governments, international organizations and civil society gathered in Brasília for the launch of the LGMA National Coordination Group for COP30 in Brazil, in an important moment for multilevel collaboration on climate action on the road to COP30.
Convened in the Chamber of Deputies, the event was co-organized by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), which serves as the focal point for the Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA) Constituency to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This new national group aims to amplify the role of Brazil’s local and regional governments in shaping the country’s position and participation at COP30—advancing the principles of climate federalism and multilevel governance.
A turning point for climate federalism
Brazil’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), presented in 2024, marked a significant shift. For the first time, the national climate plan explicitly acknowledged the importance of coordination between the Union, States and Municipalities—framing this as a commitment to climate federalism. This principle was also reinforced by Brazil’s endorsement of Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnership for Climate Action (CHAMP), launched at COP28 to foster stronger collaboration between national and subnational actors.
ICLEI’s Director of Global Advocacy, Yunus Arikan, described the new LGMA group as “a critical for convening the strength of Brazil’s local and regional governments on climate action ahead of COP.”
“The creation of the LGMA National Coordination Group ensures that local and regional leaders are not only implementers of climate policy, but architects of it. COP30 in Belém offers a historic opportunity to show the world how climate federalism can deliver results,” said Yunus Arikan, Director of Global Advocacy, ICLEI
Broad participation and shared priorities
The launch brought together more than 40 representatives across levels of government and sectors. Minister of Cities Jader Filho and National Secretary of Urban Environment and Environmental Quality Adalberto Maluf joined in expressing federal commitment to multilevel dialogue. From the local level, mayors, city secretaries, and association leaders emphasized the need for dedicated channels to contribute to Brazil’s COP30 preparation.
“Brazil is advancing every day to become a great example for the world of joint work, the true “mutirão” – a collective, cooperative effort – outlined in the vision of the COP30 Presidency. We brought together in this first meeting city networks, municipal associations, think tanks and UN agencies, all mobilized and collaborating with the same purpose of ensuring that cities and subnational governments have a historic leading role in COP 30,” said Bianca Cantoni, Institutional Relations and Advocacy Coordinator for ICLEI South America.
Participants offered reflections on the group’s proposed structure and priorities, including how to align local climate plans with the national NDC, secure finance for implementation, and elevate nature-based solutions and climate justice. A moderated round of comments allowed stakeholders to outline how their institutions are preparing for COP30 and how the coordination group could support those efforts.
Looking ahead to Belém
The creation of the LGMA National Coordination Group sets the stage for a new model of engagement leading up to COP30. By building a permanent space for dialogue between Brazilian subnational governments and the national leadership, the group enhances the country’s capacity to deliver on its climate goals—while also serving as a model for other nations.
ICLEI and its partners will continue to facilitate meetings and consultations through the group in the months ahead. The aim is to ensure that when COP30 arrives in Belém, the voice of Brazilian cities, states and regions is not only heard—but central to the negotiations.
> Learn more about the LGMA Constituency and ICLEI’s role in the UNFCCC process (https://www.cities-and-regions.org/).
