GLOBAL MUTIRÃO: REVITALISING CLIMATE ACTION

The Brazilian Presidency of COP30 is approaching its role with great ambition, and in recent months has already highlighted the key points it intends to focus on next November in Belém.

Another element on which it is placing great emphasis is the concept of “mutirão”, typical of Brazilian culture and originating from the traditions of the indigenous Tupi people, which the Presidency wants to adopt with the aim of reinvigorating participation in climate action.

The invitation does not directly concern the institutions involved in the negotiations, although they are called upon to take greater responsibility and awareness of their role, but is addressed in particular to ordinary people, communities and organisations. The concept of “mutirão” does not have a precise translation in English, but is generally understood as “collective mobilisation to pursue a goal”. For the Brazilian Presidency, the meaning of the Global Mutirão initiative is therefore to invite the international community to act together against climate change, in a “global effort of cooperation between peoples for the progress of humanity”.

The initiative was first presented at Panama Climate Week at the end of May, and then at the interim negotiations in Bonn, which are currently underway. It was explained that in Brazilian culture, “mutirão” actions bring together the most diverse people and communities, and that everyone contributes with the means at their disposal: these are grassroots initiatives without a rigid hierarchy. In practice, the Presidency has taken steps to manage the flow that it hopes will grow from this proposal: proposals from civil society will be collected in a specific section of the COP30 website, and partnerships have also been developed with digital platforms on which the various groups can connect.

In order to disseminate the initiative among States and civil society, 30 special envoys have been appointed, including institutional figures and activists. In addition, four Circles of Leadership have been set up, i.e. working groups to guide the work of COP30 on the following topics:

• the “Circle of COP Presidents”, which supports the Presidency in improving the implementation of the Paris Agreement;
• the “Circle of Peoples”, which addresses indigenous communities and complements existing platforms within the UNFCCC (above all the Local Communities and Indigenous People Platform);
• the “Circle of Finance Ministers”, which will provide proposals on climate finance issues;
• the “Global Ethical Stocktake Circle”, which aims to promote dialogue with political leaders and civil society figures.

Brazil’s goal is to reinvigorate direct participation on climate issues, with the understanding that in order to “rebuild a global infrastructure of trust”, individuals need to see that negotiations produce concrete results.

Article by Alessio Piccoli, remote SB62 delegate for the Italian Climate Network.

Cover photo credits: photo by Rafa Neddermeyer/COP30 Brasil Amazônia/PR