São Paulo Races to Climate Neutrality

April 30, 2021, São Paulo, Brazil. The Center for Climate Strategies (CCS) is pleased to announce completion of the Decarbonization Pathway Project for São Paulo in its race to mid-century climate neutrality following intensive collaboration and assessment with the government and local stakeholders supported by international expertise and assistance from CCS, Winrock International, The Climate Group, WWF and GCF Task Force. Over 80 participants joined the final webinar on April 25, 2021 to review twelve Carbon Neutral Pathway actions developed to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% percent from baseline conditions by 2050, and to chart a course for further actions to achieve long-term net-zero emissions goals and short-term green economic recovery.

The State of São Paulo has a highly diversified economy with a strong manufacturing sector and a relatively clean electrical grid. As a result, it’s Pathway will require a broad portfolio of climate mitigation actions across all economic sectors, including: major new expansions of renewable energy, electrified transportation, smart community design, sustainable agriculture, natural resource conservation, industrial energy efficiency and other low-carbon programs. The Decarbonization Pathway significantly advances progress towards carbon neutrality for the State of São Paulo, and the identification and assessment of more actions is expected to achieve the State’s recent target of net zero emissions by 2050.

The Climate Pathway Project Project has been underway since 2019 with regions of Brazil, Mexico, and Peru to develop mid-century decarbonization approaches that stabilize Earth’s climate and improve resilience and to foster public-private collaboration on local community development, sustainable economic recovery, investment mobilization, health, and social equity through modern energy and natural resources uses.

Details of projected 2050 net GHG emissions for the São Paulo Decarbonization Pathway Project. As indicated, the 290 teragrams (Tg) of emissions are spread broadly across the economy, although Transportation is expected to be the dominant sector by 2050. To reach net zero by 2050, a broad suite of mitigation actions across all economic sectors is needed.