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The report assesses the potential for natural infrastructure to complement the Cantareira Water Supply System in São Paulo, Brazil. Using a Green-Gray Assessment, it finds that targeted reforestation of 4,000 hectares could reduce sediment pollution by 36%, yielding a 28% return on investment over 30 years by reducing water treatment and dredging costs. While forest restoration is likely to slightly increase dry season water flows through a 'sponge effect' and fog capture in cloud forests, the overall impact on annual water availability is estimated to be marginal. The document provides a roadmap for scaling these investments, suggesting blended finance models and improved landowner engagement to overcome risks and uncertainties.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) collaborated with the Brazilian government to implement a new law in March 2017 that mandates 3C standards for the Minha Casa, Minha Vida (MCMV) social housing program. This law aims to prevent the isolation of low-income housing from urban centers, promoting public transport, walking, and cycling to benefit approximately 1.8 million people and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The document outlines the role of city authorities in driving climate resilience and highlights CDKN's work in supporting developing countries through planning, financing, and knowledge management.

The guide examines the politics of climate change in three Latin American mega-cities, finding that while political leadership and local framing drive policy adoption, implementation is often hindered by a lack of broad social coalitions and low electoral salience of climate issues.

The document evaluates the Joint Resolution SMA/SAA No. 1/2016, which regulates the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA) in São Paulo. While it praises the move toward electronic processes and clear rules for those adhering to the PRA, it warns that the resolution may have exceeded its regulatory power by establishing penalties—such as the loss of land-use rights for consolidated areas—not explicitly provided for in federal or state law. It also highlights gaps in the regulation of Legal Reserve compensation, particularly for the Cerrado biome, and the lack of complementary norms necessary for full implementation.

The document argues that urban GHG mitigation is most effective when governments at different levels operate according to their comparative advantages. It categorizes city roles into policy leaders, critical implementers, and strategic partners, mapping these roles to specific abatement potentials in transport, buildings, and waste. The authors emphasize that national governments must provide enabling actions—specifically financial support, technical capacity, and policy alignment—to unlock this potential. Case studies of China, the United States, and Brazil illustrate varying degrees of vertical integration and identify specific national-level gaps that hinder city-scale climate action.

The study investigates the 2014/15 drought in southeast Brazil, specifically focusing on the impacts in São Paulo. Using a multi-method approach including historical observations and climate model simulations, the researchers found limited evidence that human-induced greenhouse gas emissions increased the hydrometeorological hazard. Instead, the severe impacts on water supply were primarily attributed to rapid population growth and increased water consumption.

The report argues that sustainable urban design, guided by 'The 8 Principles' (Walk, Connect, Transit, Cycle, Mix, Densify, Compact, Shift), delivers significant environmental, economic, and social benefits. It provides a comprehensive review of data from Chinese cities and international examples to demonstrate that reducing car dependence and increasing density improves air quality, boosts property values, and enhances public health. The document specifically highlights China's unprecedented scale of urbanization as a critical area for applying these principles to avoid the pitfalls of 'superblocks' and car-centric planning.

The authors contend that current 'business-as-usual' urbanization, characterized by car-oriented infrastructure, leads to high greenhouse gas emissions, economic losses from congestion, and safety risks. They advocate for 'smart urban mobility'—which combines technology with coordinated planning—to 'leapfrog' car-centric development. Examples of successful interventions include Mexico City's Metrobús BRT, Beijing's low emission zone, and Medellín's Metrocable. The document highlights 2015 as a pivotal year due to the finalization of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, upcoming climate negotiations, and the UN Decade of Action on Road Safety.

The report finds that Brazil's current public price risk mitigation policies are inefficient, providing only R$ 4 billion in gains despite a R$ 5.4 billion federal budget in 2013. Simulation results indicate that farmers would be willing to pay approximately R$ 50 billion to mitigate price risks for soy, sugarcane, corn, and coffee, suggesting a significant unmet market demand. The authors recommend that the Brazilian government move away from direct production purchases and instead subsidize private market instruments, such as put options, to improve agricultural productivity and economic growth.

The report finds that Brazil's current agricultural price risk policies are inefficient and cost-ineffective, providing only BRL 4 billion in gains despite a BRL 5.4 billion budget in 2013. It suggests that farmers would be willing to pay BRL 50 billion to avoid price risk for soybean, sugarcane, corn, and coffee. The authors recommend that the Brazilian government move away from direct output buyouts and instead incentivize market-based tools like sell options, similar to programs in the United States, the European Union, and the state of São Paulo.

The document provides a comprehensive review of empirical studies demonstrating that compact, transit-oriented, and walkable urban design leads to lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduced infrastructure costs, and increased labor productivity. It highlights specific findings from China, such as the negative energy impacts of 'superblocks' in Jinan and the property value premiums associated with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Beijing and Guangzhou. The report also emphasizes the cost-effectiveness of BRT over light rail and the public health benefits of non-motorized transit, while identifying research gaps in developer-side profit data and the specific productivity effects of density in Chinese cities.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) and the Sao Paulo State Foundation (FAPESP) signed a ten-year agreement in October 2014. FAPESP becomes an Associate of the IAI to collaborate on global change research, capacity building, and the science-policy interface across the Americas. The agreement emphasizes open data, joint funding mechanisms, and the support of young scientists, overseen by a Joint Steering Committee.

The workshop focused on leveraging international funds like the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) to drive low-carbon investment in Brazil. Key discussions highlighted that a lack of long-term governmental strategic vision and internal organizational cultures in banks act as barriers to green investment. The event presented innovative financial instruments and case studies from Colombia and Mexico to demonstrate how blending concessional finance with private resources and risk mitigation tools can unlock climate-relevant investments.

The IAI is implementing a tripartite structure with headquarters operations moving to Montevideo and a strategic office in Buenos Aires. Research priorities include monitoring CRN3 projects, finalizing a MacArthur Foundation project on tropical Andean biodiversity, and leading the Latin American network for Future Earth. Capacity building includes a modeling event in Panama City and the management of seed grants. Policy engagement focuses on contributions to IPBES, the UNFCCC's SBSTA, and planned events for the UNFCCC COP in Lima regarding environmental monitoring and global change governance.

The document identifies three critical sets of conditions for the effective implementation of local climate policies in developing countries: government capacity, problem framing, and political factors. It argues that while government capacity (legal, financial, and technical) acts as a necessary enabling condition, the actual motivation for policy action depends on how climate goals are framed to align with local socioeconomic concerns and the influence of political entrepreneurs and interest groups. The author emphasizes that implementation is more politically challenging than adoption and suggests a 'configurational' approach to understanding how these various factors combine to produce successful outcomes.

The IAI activities plan for 2014-2015 focuses on institutional restructuring, the monitoring of CRN3 projects, and the leadership of the Latin American Future Earth Network. Key initiatives include a training event in Panama, the closure of a MacArthur Foundation project on Andean biodiversity, and participation in IPBES and UNFCCC processes, including planned events for the CoP in Lima.

The document examines the use of performance-based contracts (PBCs) to reduce non-revenue water (NRW), contrasting them with traditional contracts. It highlights the benefits of PBCs, such as harnessing private sector technical expertise and aligning incentives through results-based payment. The author identifies key implementation challenges, including the need for accurate baseline data, the risk of 'cherrypicking' easy gains, and the difficulty of sustaining improvements after a contract ends. Drawing on examples from Brazil, Malaysia, Thailand, and Ireland, the paper provides guidance on scoping, risk-reward balancing, and procurement to support the implementation of similar frameworks in South African municipalities.

The document presents a business case for implementing sustainable public procurement in fragile states, highlighting its potential to mitigate risks, combat corruption, and build local industrial capacity. It identifies significant challenges, including weak institutional capacity and political opposition from vested interests, and proposes the use of readiness assessments to tailor procurement policies to individual national contexts.

The Sao Paulo State Government has integrated sustainability into public procurement through a legal framework, electronic systems, and training for public servants. The program utilizes socio-environmental criteria in specifications and contracts, including a sanctioning regime for non-compliance, though it avoids these criteria during reverse auctions to prevent corruption. The IISD identifies opportunities for further improvement in reporting, accountability, supplier pre-qualification, and inter-governmental information exchange.