Climate policy and institutional framework
National Policy
Approach:
- Sectoral dialogues involving the private and financial sectors and the federal government in climate actions;
- Cooperation with different ministries in the construction of climate policies aligned with the NDC and tools that ensure the transversality of the topic in the governance and in structural policies;
- Strengthening of laws, monitoring of legislative proposals and strategies for the approval of legislation and rules that are favorable to the climate and that promote the mitigation and adaptation of climate change and a just transition.
Subnational
Policy
Recognizing the importance of the subnational governments in the implementation of the climate policies and the challenges existing in a federative system, iCS acts prioritizing actions with the states, strengthening a federative climate pact, promoting policies in favor of the climate and training civil servants.
Approach:
- Federative Pact: helping in the construction of governance spaces that lead to the better implementation of the climate policies in the territories;
- Implementation: encouraging the adoption of state policies in favor of climate issues, such as sustainable low carbon public procurement;
- Civil Servants for the Climate: training civil servants so that they can better involve climate issues in their daily work.
International
Policy
The iCS International Policy front acts as a bridge between global
agreements and Brazilian climate policy, empowering Brazilian society to participate in events and forums, increasing its engagement and representation in negotiations and action agendas, and strengthening the country on the international stage.
Approach:
- Participation in major international events: through an active approach, create connections between relevant actors, influence agendas through strategic dialogues with the press and stakeholders, and monitor announced initiatives beyond formal negotiations;
- Dialogues and training: promote regular events, meetings, and training activities with partners, grantees, and international philanthropic organizations, and initiatives to increase the visibility of the Brazilian climate agenda in international forums in which the country exercises leadership;
- Engagement: Expand public participation in multilateral spaces such as the G20 and BRICS+, exploring Brazil as an agenda-setter, identifying opportunities for advocacy, and fostering dialogue with the government, think tanks, and international organizations.
Economy and
Climate
Approach:
- Technical subsidies: strengthening the institutional capacities of government agencies and the improvement of the research centers and think tanks, among others;
- Tax reform: qualifying the discussion about the topic and introducing the climate issue into the debates;
- Regulation of the Carbon Market: contributing to the regulation of the SBCE and the criteria for the voluntary market, supporting a transparent, robust and rule-based governance;
- Budget and public finances: inserting the environmental question into these contexts — especially those involving the climate.
- Costs of inaction: calculating and mobilizing actors to discuss these costs, which are already higher than those of confronting the changes.
Regulation
iCS supports initiatives to strengthen the justice system, recognizing its strategic role in climate governance, and works in an integrated manner to improve the regulatory frameworks, combat environmental crimes and expand the access to justice.
Approach:
- Environmental crimes in the Amazon: strengthening the governance between public bodies, improving policies and strategies to combat environmental crime and promoting regional and international cooperation;
- Justice System: encouraging proactive action by the actors in the justice system and the Accounting Courts in the implementation of policies and leveraging their institutional capacity in the climate agenda;
- Regulatory frameworks: guaranteeing the implementation of climate policies, strengthening the legal framework and governance in areas such as disaster management and the protection of native vegetation, as well as expanding access to justice.
Climate Finance
Approach:
- Fundos públicos: colaborar com governos para melhorar a alocação em projetos climáticos, incluindo a revisão de regulações que dificultam o financiamento e a promoção de transparência;
- Financiamento internacional: atrair recursos propondo melhorias no ambiente regulatório e promovendo o entendimento sobre oportunidades como Soluções Baseadas na Natureza (SbN) e transações financeiras inovadoras;
- Blended finance: utilizar recursos públicos como alavanca para atrair capital privado a projetos climáticos por meio de articulação, instrumentos financeiros inovadores e regulações;
- Regulatory improvement: align the financial sector with climate goals, seeking transparency and regulations that encourage investment, in addition to discouraging the financing of climate-damaging activities.
Team
Grants
To strengthen multilevel climate governance in Brazil by enhancing the capacity and engagement of subnational governments and parliamentarians in climate action, sustainable development, and just transition agendas. The project will promote institutional capacity building, knowledge production, policy exchange, and coordination across different levels of government, supporting the implementation of NDC. It will also strengthen Amazon regional cooperation through parliamentary diplomacy and engagement with the Amazon Parliament (Parlamaz).
If the decisions on adaptation from Belém are not quickly interpreted and tested by Global South coalitions, the momentum is likely to be lost. This project brings together Latin America and builds bridges with other developing countries to generate shared interpretations and public pressure through COP31.
To promote the integration of climate, geopolitics, and development to strengthen Brazil’s role in the international agenda. The project will produce strategic analyses, facilitate high-level dialogues, and engage public and private actors to inform policies, attract investment, and enhance the country’s influence in the transition to a low-carbon economy.
The project seeks to strengthen network-based action to advance socio-environmental agendas and prevent setbacks, promoting the elimination of environmental crimes and deforestation. It works on the protection and restoration of forests, a just energy transition, climate adaptation, and the promotion of social justice. It also engages in national and international advocacy to increase climate ambition and promote the phase-out of fossil fuels.
To contribute to strengthening environmental collective redress mechanisms to protect communities vulnerable to extreme climate events. The project aims to consolidate the role of Independent Technical Assistance (ITA) as a tool for the effective realization of rights. It also seeks to engage with the Legislative Power in defense of environmental collective protection and to analyze the impacts of structural litigation before the Supreme Federal Court (STF).
To evaluate the decisions of COP30, conduct critical analysis and produce content on their potential impacts on international climate governance and on topics such as biodiversity, trade, finance, and development. This analysis will be reflected in the 2026 edition of the Global Policy Dialogue, with representatives from various sectors and countries, resulting in recommendations on reforms in global climate governance and Brazil’s role.
To strengthen the formulation and public debate of climate policies in Brazil, with a particular focus on energy transition and mineral governance, by combining the production of technical evidence, political intelligence, and targeted advocacy strategies to enhance the capacity of the Legislative branch to incorporate economic climate arguments into decision-making processes.
To analyze the public budget for climate adaptation, focusing on expenditures for disaster prevention, preparedness, and recovery, from national and regional perspectives. Furthermore, to promote advocacy activities to discuss this topic and its relationship to budget classification, the subject of the previous project.
To continue providing technical training and support to civil society organizations and public servants in monitoring the decisions, submissions, and technical issues of the Paris Agreement and UNFCCC negotiations, with special attention to the results and legacy of COP30 and the transition from the Brazilian presidency to the presidency of COP31.
To strengthen the implementation of gender- and race-responsive climate policies building on the legacy of COP30, focusing on operationalizing the Belém Gender Action Plan (GAP) and addressing gaps between international commitments and concrete policies at national and subnational levels. The project advances this goal by strengthening municipal capacities to integrate gender and race into climate action and by supporting GAP implementation through evidence generation, network engagement, and advocacy.
To strengthen a strategic leverage point in Brazil’s climate agenda by bridging national climate policies with municipal-level action. By combining evidence generation, policy proposals and multilevel advocacy, the project contributes to enhancing subnational climate governance and institutionalizing climate justice within urban policies.
To support the Amazonian scientific community, more specifically linked to the Research Network for a Sustainable Economy of the Amazon (RESA), in qualifying and seeking funding for research projects, via the Research Support and Small Grants Mechanism (MAPPS). This mechanism allows for better coordination among researchers in the development of their projects, strengthening reserach networks.
To analyze public investments in community social development in the Legal Amazon, fostering their connection with initiatives to combat organized crime and strengthening sustainable alternatives in vulnerable territories. The project aims to propose recommendations that enhance coordination between existing initiatives and territorial needs amid rising criminal activity.
To strengthen subnational climate policy through integrated actions that enhance transparency, governance, and the implementation of state-level climate commitments. To ensure coordination and institutional capacity, to support the consolidation of the “Climate Change Yearbook of The Brazilian States” as a monitoring reference, to incorporate climate criteria into regulatory frameworks, and to provide technical support to the Brazil Green Consortium.
Support the consolidation of GFLAC in Brazil, contributing to increasing transparency on climate finance, through collaboration with the TCU, with the Climate Scanner, and assisting the government in thinking about the investment and financing plan for the implementation of the NDC/Climate Plan.
To support efforts to strengthen the Justice System’s response to environmental and related crimes, while also improving the measurement of environmental and climate damages in collective territories through dialogue between the CNJ and specialized organizations. ISA will monitor deforestation in the Xingu Basin, producing reports and submitting complaints to the relevant authorities.
To strengthen environmental and climate governance in Brazil, with support for enforcement agencies and civil society. The project will promote training, legal analyses, and evidence generation, along with recommendations to improve deforestation control tools. It will also enhance tools that connect rural credit with environmental data, increasing transparency and integrity.
To advance the discussion on environmental licensing as a critical tool for strengthening climate governance in Brazil, through the development of legal analyses on the new regulations and the regular updating and refinement of the climate cases database.
To apply an innovative national accounts methodology to measure the Amazonian bioeconomy by integrating local data on production, income, and land use, generating indicators to support the planning and monitoring of public policies, strengthen sustainability strategies based on sociobiodiversity, and build a permanent local research network.
The project assesses the economic viability of rural settlements in the Pantanal, Cerrado, and Amazon biomes (Mato Grosso), integrating territorial, productive, socioeconomic, and environmental analyses. It will use geospatial data (1980–2023) and carbon indicators to map land use, emissions, and mitigation, as well as to simulate sustainable scenarios such as agroforestry systems and carbon credit markets.
To advance LEGAL’s activities by strengthening local science in the Amazon region through capacity-building, knowledge exchange, and data production to support climate policy implementation. The project will deliver technical briefs, COP-30-related events, and a mini-documentary on land tenure issues in Pará.
Adapt the NetZero economic modeling initiative to Brazil as an open model, accessible to a broad audience and for rapid assessment of the sensitivity and impact of public policies, including, in particular, the land use sector. In addition, the project aims to promote workshops and events to engage different stakeholders in decarbonization planning in Brazil.
To strengthen climate governance in Brazil by legally consolidating the commitments assumed under the Paris Agreement—such as the NDC and Article 6—into national legislation. The project aims to prevent legal setbacks, promote legal certainty, and ensure environmental integrity and climate justice through technical analysis, political advocacy, and the capacity building of civil society actors. It will also support MDA in building an advocacy strategy within the framework of the UNFCCC and COP 30.
To support the mobilization and engagement of local groups affected by the 2024 floods in Rio Grande do Sul, with a focus on advocacy efforts targeting public authorities and the implementation of campaigns. The initiative seeks to influence the adoption of policies and measures that strengthen resilience to climate-related disasters and ensure that the voices of affected communities are heard and considered in the development of long-term solutions.
Contribute to the regulatory and structural design of subnational state and municipal funds, including training of technical staff of agents, dialogue with strategic actors, and alignment of funds with public policies and investment attraction instruments.
