On 19 October 2017, Salvador, the capital of Bahia (Brazil), signed the Commitment Letter of the Global Covenant of Mayors, becoming the first city in Latin America to renew its commitment to the global initiative. Mr. Antônio Carlos Magalhães Neto, Mayor of Salvador, co-signed the document with Mr. João Cravinho, the European Union Ambassador to Brazil. “This action reaffirms our work in making Salvador a more sustainable and green city,” said Mr. Magalhães Neto.

According to Mr. Cravinho: “Bahia has great potential regarding renewable energy, an issue on which the European Union is a pioneer. Our strategic partnership with Brazil is based on a shared commitment on topics like sustainable development and the fight against climate change.”

Following this meeting, the Ambassador spoke with mayors, presidents of intermunicipal consortia and representatives of other European countries about the challenges cities face regarding climate change and the opportunities that addressing it may provide.

In addition to Salvador, 32 Brazilian cities have signed the Global Covenant of Mayors Commitment Letter, taking the first step towards joining the movement.

On November 28, in Recife, representatives of cities from across the country gathered at the meeting “Coffee for Climate”, held by the Latin American Secretariat of the Global Covenant of Mayors.

These occasions contribute to the establishment of the Global Covenant in Brazil and highlight the importance of climate change adaptation and mitigation policies within local agendas.