Rio de Janeiro City Hall opens the 'Local Dialogues' series of meetings with a seminar on climate and the launch of the 'Planta+Rio' program.

The Rio de Janeiro City Hall, through the Municipal Secretariat for the Environment and Climate (SMAC), launched this Saturday (November 1st) the series of meetings "Local Dialogues" with the Rio Climate Action Seminar. The initiative aims to involve various sectors of society – politicians, personalities, activists, academia and citizens – in defining the paths to a greener and fairer Rio de Janeiro.

The opening event, the Rio Climate Action Seminar, brought together Deputy Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere, the Municipal Secretary of Environment and Climate, Tainá de Paula, as well as national and international leaders such as Cecilia Kinuthia-Njenga, Director of Intergovernmental Support and Collective Progress at UNFCCC; Beatriz Carneiro Martins, Director of the United Nations Environment Programme in Brazil; Márcio Tavares, Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Culture; Marcele Oliveira, Youth Champion of the COP 30 Presidency; Malcom Ferdinand, environmental engineer, PhD in political philosophy and political science; and Ya Wanda, activist, yalorixá (Candomblé priestess), and educator. They discussed topics such as culture, climate justice, and shared responsibilities in the fight against the climate crisis.

– In addition to this seminar, Rio de Janeiro is hosting several other highly relevant events this week. The Rio de Janeiro City Hall has been paying special attention to environmental issues. The city will host the Local Leaders Summit, bringing together more than 270 mayors and several governors, as well as receiving the Earthshot Prize, an award organized by the British royal family that recognizes outstanding actions in the environmental field – stated Eduardo Cavaliere.

The deputy mayor also highlighted some of the municipality's achievements in improving the population's quality of life.

– The municipal administration has been committed to transforming areas previously designated for construction into green spaces and recreational areas, demonstrating that this is a matter of right and not privilege. It is the realization of a government's vision that seeks to offer quality of life for all – said Cavaliere.

The "Local Dialogues" series of meetings precedes COP30 in Belém. It began this Saturday (November 1st) and will continue until Friday (November 7th). The debates will feature experts, authorities, and representatives of organized civil society. The events aim to provide a broad and integrated view of climate challenges and solutions. Crucial topics such as environmental justice, climate adaptation in favelas, women in climate action, and the importance of culture in addressing climate change will be addressed. The discussions will culminate in the drafting of the Rio Charter, a document that will be presented as a contribution from the capital of Rio de Janeiro to the COP30 debate.

– It is essential that we establish a dialogue with the people of Rio, with organized civil society, and with the groups that mobilize in the city in favor of a greener and more sustainable environment, and who have prioritized the environmental struggle for decades. – emphasized the Municipal Secretary of Environment and Climate, Tainá de Paula.

– The Local Dialogues aim to integrate the city into the Local Leaders Forum, which, although an international event, must guarantee the active participation of the population of Rio de Janeiro. The objective is to ensure that this event also fosters an in-depth debate in the city of Rio de Janeiro, involving those who experience the local reality and seek a greener and more sustainable city – added Ilan Cuperstein, coordinator of International Relations for the City of Rio.

During the Rio Climate Action Seminar, the launch of the “Planta + Rio” program was also announced. This initiative, from SMAC (Municipal Secretariat for the Environment) and the Parks and Gardens Foundation (FPJ), in partnership with the Secretary of the Civil House, aims to facilitate requests for tree planting in vacant areas of the city and, consequently, expand urban afforestation. The program is a revision of the service already offered by the 1746 hotline, through which Rio de Janeiro citizens can request planting in public areas.

– The 'Planta + Rio' program represents a major leap in the modernization of urban environmental management. We want the people of Rio to feel like active agents, able to request seedlings, monitor the planting process, and even adopt trees in their communities – said Tainá de Paula.

One of the program's main focuses is promoting the planting of native Atlantic Forest species, which are prioritized by FPJ for their adaptation to the urban environment and resistance to pests. Planting takes place in public areas, such as sidewalks, central reservations, squares, or municipal land. By using these species, the project seeks to promote urban sustainability and resilience, offering benefits such as temperature reduction and the strengthening of local biodiversity. Through the 1746 channels – WhatsApp (21 3460-1746), app, website, and telephone – citizens can request seedlings for planting, track the progress of their request, and even care for and adopt trees in their communities as part of the Adote.Rio program.

"More than just planting trees, we are cultivating a new model of a more sustainable, participatory city that is connected to nature," said Ricardo Pinheiro, president of the Parks and Gardens Foundation (FPJ).

The “Local Dialogues” highlight the relevance of political and social participation in the climate agenda, including meetings focused on racial and gender equity and the CB27 Forum National Meeting. Check below for the main events, dates, times and locations that will take place from November 1st to 7th.

See the program highlights:

Rio Climate Action Seminar
The main forum for discussing the progress and challenges of the climate agenda in the city, bringing together experts and the public.
Date: 01 / 11
Location: Carlos Gomes Theater, Tiradentes Square, no number.
Time: 9h at 14h.

Cultural Activation: Rhyme and Poetry for the Climate
Cultural engagement activity.
Date: 02 / 11
Location: Quinta da Boa Vista.
Time: 15h at 17h.

Meeting of Parliamentarians
Dedicated to discussing public policies and legislation needed to accelerate climate action.
Date: 04 / 11
Location: City Hall, Pedro Ernesto Palace, Floriano Square, no number – Cinelândia. Time: 14 PM to 17 PM.

National Meeting of the CB27 Forum
It brings together Environment Secretaries from capital cities to align the cities' positions regarding COP 30 and promote dialogue with the Local Leaders Forum. It includes a panel discussion with Secretaries from the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region.
Date: 04 / 11
Location: Operations and Resilience Center (COR) – Rua Ulisses Guimarães, nº 300, Cidade Nova.
Time: 14h at 18h.

Global Ethical Balance
It will promote reflection on shared responsibilities in the face of the climate crisis, engaging with the COP30 initiative in Brazil.
Date: 04 / 11
Location: Planetarium, R. Vice-Governador Rúbens Berardo, nº 100 – Gávea.
Time: 17am to 19:30pm.

The Power of Urban Reinvention
This activity will focus on "Impact Brands" and the Circular Economy, discussing business models that generate positive financial, social, and environmental returns. The goal is to build a more just and resilient Rio de Janeiro, integrating the private sector, civil society, and public authorities.
Date: 05 / 11
Location: City Hall, Pedro Ernesto Palace, Floriano Square, no number – Cinelândia.
Time: 14h at 17h.

Climate adaptation in favelas
Discussion of climate solutions from the perspective of the most vulnerable territories, placing residents at the center of the debate.
Date: 06 / 11
Location: Herbert Vianna Cultural Arena – R. Evanildo Alves, s/n° – Maré, Rio de Janeiro.
Time: 9h at 12h.

The Importance of Municipal Legislatures in Environmental Transformation
The internal and reflective debate among city councilors on the theme "The importance of municipal legislatures for environmental transformation." The objective is to reinforce the role of the Legislative branch in responding to the climate crisis (floods, landslides, and heat waves) and to guarantee legal support for proposals for environmental transformation.
Date: 06 / 11
Location: City Hall, Pedro Ernesto Palace, Floriano Square, no number – Cinelândia.
Time: 14h at 17h.

More information: dialogoslocais.prefeitura.rio