Rio de Janeiro kicks off its first Climate Action Week (RCAW) on 23-29 August across various locations in the Brazilian city.
It aims to be a meeting point for discussions on climate change, covering topics such as innovation, sustainability, and equitable green economic development in Brazil.
Tailored solutions to the climate crisis
Organised in partnership with London Climate Action Week – the world’s most participatory climate festival – RCAW will be an open, decentralised, and collaborative event designed to foster debates and solutions to the climate crisis tailored to Brazil’s reality.
The goal is to align with and support Brazil’s Cop30 Presidency and build momentum for success in Belém in November. RCAW aims to bring together public and private actors, including companies, universities, startups, and institutions, in the search for innovative solutions, creating a space to monitor, discuss, and advance Brazil’s targets toward a green economy.
“The Rio Climate Action Week will be a key milestone on the road to Belém, as we build momentum and showcase collective action.”
“The world began its sustainability journey in Brazil over 30 years ago at Rio 92,” said Malini Mehra, ambassador of London Climate Action Week (LCAW) and co-convenor of the event in Brazil.
“The Earth Summit gave us the Rio Conventions to protect nature and the climate. This year, the world will return to Brazil as the host country of Cop30 to renew our commitment to environmental protection, our communities, and our economies, and to once again embrace multilateral cooperation. The Rio Climate Action Week will be a key milestone on the road to Belém, as we build momentum and showcase collective action.”
The event is inspired by London Climate Action Week, represented in Brazil by ProNature International, the NGO that has been working for almost 40 years to solve economic, social, and environmental challenges worldwide. London’s pioneering climate action week has been held since 2019, and has inspired other versions in cities such as Auckland, Baku, Bangkok, Dublin, Shanghai, and Sydney.
Earlier this year, SmartCitiesWorld announced a partnership with LCAW to help cities and towns around the world stage their own climate action weeks and held a webinar bringing together representatives from Baku, Rio de Janeiro, Bangkok and Prague. They discussed how they are working with London to create Climate Action Weeks to drive local action, while contributing to a growing global movement. The on-demand version can be downloaded here.
“May Rio inspire the world with its courage, its beauty, and its unwavering commitment to a sustainable future”
In addition to lectures and debates, RCAW aims to live up to the “action” in its name. A wide range of activities will be held to engage the public, companies, and authorities. Artists and their environmentally themed and sustainability-focused works will be featured through film screenings and exhibitions, inspiring participants to learn more about Brazilian local realities.
Informal dinners and meetings with leaders will also be organised to foster immersive discussions. Tours to iconic sites in Rio will help visitors connect with the local community. Dr Marcelo de Andrade, founder and Chairman of Pro Natura International, which serves as the Secretariat for Rio Climate Action Week, said the event is an opportunity to mobilise different sectors of society: “I have dedicated my life to bridging distant worlds – from the Amazon rainforest to global decision-making centres – with a single purpose: to realise the human potential for good.
“This Climate Action Week is not just an event; it is an invitation to Brazil and to the world to turn hope into strategy through science, collective action, and the intentional use of capital with purpose. May Rio inspire the world with its courage, its beauty, and its unwavering commitment to a sustainable future.”
The full programme and details of the event can be found at Rio Climate Action Week.