16 Oct 2025
In September 2025, Dr Niklas Weins, Assistant Professor in the Department of International Studies, HSS, attended the 8th China-Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Civilization Dialogue Forum held in Wuxi, Jiangsu. Themed "Mutual Learning Among Civilizations Promotes Development, A Shared Future Forges Ahead," the forum featured two sub-forums. As one of the key topics, the sub-forum "Ecological Civilization and Sustainable Development: Jointly Promoting a Climate-Resilient Future for China and LAC" focused on ecological civilization and global climate change challenges, exploring how China and LAC can jointly build a sustainable future through green development and institutional innovation.
Scholars, policymakers, and corporate representatives from China and LAC engaged in in-depth discussions on areas such as green energy, low-carbon transition, sustainable agriculture, and knowledge cooperation.
At the sub-forum, Dr Niklas Weins delivered a presentation titled "Brazil's Climate Puzzle: From Deforestation to Urban Adaptation." He systematically analyzed Brazil's complex pathway in addressing climate change from three levels: national policy, local practice, and international cooperation.
Dr Niklas Weins pointed out that Brazil is one of the world's major greenhouse gas emitters, with emissions stemming both from large-scale deforestation and from urbanization and energy consumption. However, Brazil's federal climate policy has long been characterized by cyclicality and fragmentation: the differing priorities of different governments have led to insufficient policy continuity and uneven implementation outcomes. Within this framework, local governments often become the vanguard of climate governance.
He analyzed climate actions at the local level using specific cases. As early as 2003–2011, cities like Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, and Manaus took the lead in formulating mitigation plans, though adaptation measures often remained in the "preparation stage." The "second wave" of cities from 2014 to 2017, such as Recife, Fortaleza, and Porto Alegre, placed greater emphasis on climate adaptation and resilience building, and actively participated in international city networks like C40 and ICLEI. After 2020, major cities like S?o Paulo and Santos launched comprehensive climate action plans extending to 2050, integrating mitigation with adaptation and setting clear targets with institutional safeguards. This evolution demonstrates that cities are becoming the frontline of climate governance in Brazil.
At the level of international cooperation, he specifically mentioned the 2023 China-Brazil Joint Statement, noting that the two sides have established a strategic dialogue foundation on addressing climate change. Brazil urgently needs financial, technological, and knowledge support in areas such as achieving low-carbon agriculture and transforming degraded lands, while China's strengths in clean energy, renewable technology, and green finance can provide crucial support. Future cooperation prospects are not limited to the bilateral level but will also be reflected within the frameworks of the UNFCCC and subsequent mechanisms of the Convention on Biological Diversity. China and Brazil have ample opportunity to form synergies on platforms like COP30 and COP15.
Notably, new concepts and practices are also emerging within Brazil. For instance, the "Amaz?nia 4.0" initiative proposes promoting a green transition in the Amazon region under the new "Democratic New Era," exploring new pathways that balance ecological conservation, social development, and technological innovation. Such attempts represent both a reflection on traditional resource-dependent development models and offer lessons for Global South countries on how to find a balance between environment and development.
In conclusion, Dr Niklas Weins emphasized that climate change is a multi-level, multi-actor challenge, involving both national and international institutional arrangements, as well as depending on concrete practices at local and community levels. Brazil's climate governance is a "puzzle" pieced together from forest conservation, urban adaptation, and international cooperation, and China is an important partner in completing this puzzle in the future. By deepening China-Brazil cooperation, both sides can not only jointly enhance climate resilience but also project a stronger "Global South voice" in global climate governance.
Reposted from: Sinolatinist
Editors: Qian Chenxin, Gu Yiyi
Translator: Qian Chenxin
16 Oct 2025