Fernando Rei

Transnational Action Fostering Climate Protection in the City of São Paulo and Beyond

Abstract This article examines the local outcomes of São Paulo city’s engagement in transnational networks for climate protection. The participation of municipalities in such networks has been an important driver in fostering local initiatives to protect global climate. There have been accounts of many cases of mitigation measures implemented successfully at the local level, demonstrating significant carbon emissions reductions, thus helping national governments in their emissions reductions efforts. However, few studies have explored the linkages between transnational engagement, implementation of subnational climate action, and the actual national commitments in developing countries. This paper assesses the role of local engagement in transnational networks in the adoption and implementation of climate policies and legislation in the city of São Paulo, and its impact on the Brazilian government’s climate action, in the period between 2002 and 2014. São Paulo was an active member of ICLEI’s Cities for Climate Protection campaign and the C40 network during this period. The city was the first government to adopt legislation establishing reduction targets in 2009. However, while transnational action influenced the inception of the city’s climate change policy, it has had limited impact on the implementation of climate action beyond the municipal level. The role of transnational action, in this context, is yet to be determined.

La protección del bioma y los acuerdos internacionales en el nuevo Derecho forestal brasileño

El nuevo Codigo Forestal de Brasil, una ley nacional que protege a todos los tipos de vegetacion, deberia contribuir de alguna manera al logro de los objetivos de la Convencion sobre la diversidad biologica y de la Convencion sobre el cambio climatico. En la actualidad, la rapida expansion de la frontera agricola sobre las florestas y los bosques, principalmente en el Amazonas y el Cerrado, apunta hacia el incremento del cultivo de la soja y la cana de azucar. Estas culturas incrementan el desarrollo economico de Brasil y la segunda, por medio del etanol, es considerada fuente de energia renovable. Existe una continua presion de la agro-industria para obtener mas espacio para la produccion sin considerar los impactos severos sobre el medio ambiente. Como consecuencia de ello, el antiguo Codigo Forestal brasileno ha sido revisado, para reducir al minimo las obligaciones relativas a la proteccion de las florestas y de la vegetacion protegida, en general. Los cambios propuestos podran poner en riesgo el cumplimiento de las obligaciones asumidas por Brasil en el ambito de la CDB y de la CCC, ya que la deforestacion destruye la biodiversidad y genera gases de efecto invernadero.

Tools for sustainable management: the role of environmental licenses in the State of São Paulo

The structure of new environmental policy innovations has been seeking from the legal instruments and management tools available, especially to incorporate issues of the global agenda. Some environmental agencies on the other hand review its role as “command and control” to act as facilitators to achieve advances in the management of productive activities. The Sao Paulo State defines its strategy of moving towards a model of sustainability management from opportunities presented by new environmental licensing.