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Amazon Fund
UK - Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
The Amazon Fund is a REDD+ mechanism created to raise donations for non-reimbursable investments in efforts to prevent, monitor and combat deforestation, as well as to promote the preservation and sustainable use in the Brazilian Amazon. The UK committed to funding £115 million total for results-based finance at $5 per tonne and £3.5 million for technical assistance, of which £2 million will be destined for GIZ Action for Forests programme. £1.5 million is for MEL.
Legacy Landscapes Fund
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
Legacy Landscapes Fund aims to guarantee long-term conservation funding to protect biodiversity, promote climate resilience, and foster equitable development in some of the world’s most outstanding landscapes. The UK will work together with LLF and its partners to help narrow the biodiversity finance gap and deliver the global 30by30 target on land by sourcing significant and sustained funding for protected areas with high biodiversity and critical ecosystems. LLF are a multi-donor conservation trust fund established in 2020 that deliver long-term support to vital protected areas and their buffer zones in the global south. Their ambition is to fund 30 landscapes by 2030, and they benefit from partnerships with a range of public and private donors and NGOs who provide strategic support and effective, inclusive implementation. Central to LLF's approach is an understanding that long term and predictable funding helps them to deliver better outcomes and builds capacity more effectively. LLF, it's partners and Defra are committed to the equitable delivery of 30by30, and this funding will focus on maximising benefits for Indigenous peoples and local communities and promoting gender equity.
Low-carbon Agriculture for avoided deforestation and poverty reduction Phase II - Rural Sustentável
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
As a follow-up phase to a similar ICF intervention in Brazil, Rural Sustentável aims to promote low-carbon agriculture (LCA) on small and medium-scale farms to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through avoided deforestation, enhance producers’ income and quality of life, increase the adoption of sustainable practices, and foster policy replications in Brazil and abroad. The programme operates through three distinct projects in separate Brazilian biomes: PRS Amazon, PRS Cerrado, and PRS Caatinga. Each project has its own budget, implementing agency, timelines, and activities but despite their differences, all three projects share a common theory of change: by providing small- and medium-scale farmers and landowners with alternative methods of production and income generation, the rate of deforestation can be significantly reduced.
Land Degradation Neutrality Fund
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
The LDN Fund invests in projects which reduce or reverse land degradation and thereby contribute to ‘Land Degradation Neutrality’. The LDN Fund is co-promoted by the Global Mechanism of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and Mirova. It is a public-private partnership using public money to increase private sector investment in sustainable development. The fund invests in sustainable agriculture, forestry and other land uses globally. The Fund was launched at the UNCCD’s COP 13 in China in 2017.
Darwin Initiative
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
The Darwin Initiative is the UK’s flagship international challenge fund for biodiversity conversation and poverty reduction, established at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. The Darwin Initiative is a grant scheme working on projects that aim to slow, halt, or reverse the rates of biodiversity loss and degradation, with associated reductions in multidimensional poverty. To date, the Darwin Initiative has awarded more than £195m to over 1,280 projects in 159 countries to enhance the capability and capacity of national and local stakeholders to deliver biodiversity conservation and multidimensional poverty reduction outcomes in low and middle-income countries. More information at https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/the-darwin-initiative. This page contains information about Rounds 27 onwards. For information about Rounds 1 to 26, please see the Darwin Initiative website -https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/
Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
Illegal wildlife trade (IWT) is a widespread and lucrative criminal activity causing major global environmental and social harm. The IWT has been estimated to be worth up to £17 billion a year. Nearly 6,000 different species of fauna and flora are impacted, with almost every country in the world playing a role in the illicit trade. The UK government is committed to tackling illegal trade of wildlife products and is a long-standing leader in efforts to eradicate the IWT. Defra manages the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, which is a competitive grants scheme with the objective of tackling IWT and, in doing so, contributing to sustainable development in developing countries. Projects funded under the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund address one, or more, of the following themes: • Developing sustainable livelihoods to benefit people directly affected by IWT, • Strengthening law enforcement, • Ensuring effective legal frameworks, • Reducing demand for IWT products. By 2023 over £51 million has been committed to 157 projects since the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund was established in 2013. This page contains information about Rounds 7 onwards. For information about Rounds 1 to 6, please see the IWTCF website -https://iwt.challengefund.org.uk/
Improving adoption of mental health interventions among low-income university students in Brazil
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Mental health conditions are the leading cause of disability among youth worldwide. These problems are more common among youth living in poverty. Mental health problems can have short- and long-term impacts on physical and mental health, education, employment and relationships. University students living in poverty have high rates of mental health problems and limited support. These students face strong pressures to perform and succeed and to support their families. These pressures also emerge during a life stage where there is greater potential to engage in risky behaviour, and increased pressure for academic achievement - which can further increase risk of mental health problems. Effective support for vulnerable students could improve their mental health and future life chances. Most youth, however, receive no care or support. In Brazil, around 80% of youth with mental health conditions receive no care and fewer receive evidence-based treatment. Although there is a great deal of evidence for effectiveness of psychotherapy (such as cognitive behavioural therapy [CBT]) for preventing and treating youth mental health problems, lack of services and trained providers significantly limits access. Moreover, barriers such as transportation, cost and stigma further limit access. These barriers are greater for poor vs. non-poor youth. Use of digital interventions could improve access to care. They are lower cost and could reduce stress on health systems and reach more users. They could also address stigma given they are more private. However, many digital interventions fail to engage users and sustain involvement. This limits their potential to improve the user's mental health. This research would test whether combining a digital mental health intervention with peer support and/or a conditional cash transfer (CCT) (i.e., monetary incentive conditional on intervention participation) could increase participation and engagement among low-income university students. Research suggests CCTs can increase healthy behaviours and promote engagement by enabling students to purchase books and food, thereby avoiding food insecurity, reducing financial stress to enable focus on intervention, and reduce shame. Other research shows peer support can reduce stigma and increase participation particularly among vulnerable populations. First, we would adapt and pilot a digital mental health intervention (e-CBT), shown to be effective among university students, in combination with CCT and/or peer support in collaboration with low-income university students. Following refinement, we would see whether combining the e-CBT with: (1) CCT; (2) peer support or (3) CCT+peer support improves participation and engagement. We would use innovative methods to explore longer-term social and economic impacts of the intervention in combination with CCT and peer support.
IMPLEMENTATION OF A CULTURALLY TAILORED DECENTRALIZATION PROGRAMME FOR SNAKEBITE TREATMENT IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZONIA
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
AGHRB award to implement a culturally tailored decentralization programme for snakebite treatment in indigenous communities in the Brazilian Amazonia.
UK-Brazil Eyewitness Memory Network
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
The aim of this project is to launch the UK-Brazil Eyewitness Memory Network, which will be formed by prominent researchers in the field of eyewitness testimony from both countries. Eyewitness testimony is crucial in various criminal justice systems to The aim of this project is to launch the UK-Brazil Eyewitness Memory Network, which will be formed by prominent researchers in the field of eyewitness testimony from both countries. Eyewitness testimony is crucial in various criminal justice systems to establish the facts of a case, identify suspects, and prosecute perpetrators. However, research has consistently shown that eyewitness evidence is susceptible to contamination and error, which can impair investigations and lead to wrongful convictions. This project seeks to address these issues by fostering international collaboration and knowledge exchange between the UK and Brazil, with the goal of advancing research, improving practices, and developing evidence-based policies that can enhance the accuracy and reliability of eyewitness testimony in both countries. The network will also aim to conduct joint studies, workshops, and training sessions, and aims to engage with legal practitioners, law enforcement, and policymakers to ensure that research findings are effectively translated into practice. Ultimately, this initiative will contribute to the overall improvement of the criminal justice systems in the UK and Brazil, reducing the risk of miscarriages of justice and promoting fairer outcomes for all individuals involved in the legal process. The project promises significant legal, social and economic benefits to Brazil through the adaptation of evidence - based investigative interviewing techniques. Legally, the project aims to introduce standardized methods for investigative interviews nationwide, a critical advancement given that Brazil lacks such unified protocols. This approach can facilitate the development on new laws, public policies, and policy regulations, promoting new consistent and reliable approach to investigations. Furthermore, by involving key Brazilian researchers and police instructors, the project will foster the creation of a sustainable network of researchers and practitioners, ensuring the continuity and on-going impact of the project beyond the funding period.
Sharing learning around the role of Community Health Workers in improving the resilience of health systems in Brazil and the UK
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
We want to build a strong partnership between Imperial College London and Fiocruz Brazil to enable reciprocal learning. Our first goal is to exchange knowledge and research on an effective and affordable healthcare model, the role of Community Health Workers (CHWs), which originated in Brazil. CHWs are a vital part of Brazil's health system, and played a significant role in improving public health over the last 30 years. Inspired by Brazil's success, the UK is now introducing CHWs and there are already 100 CHWs providing support to 20k households nationally. Important learning from the implementation in the UK can offer reciprocal benefit to Brazil, particularly regarding resources and skills, training around chronic disease and mental ill health and research. We want to make sure that as the UK adopts this model, it respects and learns from Brazil's experience and 'gives back' in terms benefits. Brazil's success offers valuable insights for the UK and the adoption of the CHWs is a rare example of 'reverse innovation'.(1) The term 'reverse' is testimony to the bias of lower income countries predominantly learning from high income countries. However, a more balanced knowledge exchange is possible. Brazil can benefit from the UK's experience of implementing their model, especially in dealing with issues like mental health and chronic diseases and how CHWs in Brazil could be trained and supported to deal with these growing issues. By working together, we can learn from each other and strengthen the CHW model in both countries. We plan to involve CHWs from both Brazil and the UK in this process, recognising their expertise and frontline experience. Our second goal is to collaborate on research about making health and social care systems more resilient to system shocks such as pandemics or natural disasters. Fiocruz is a world leader in applying Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM) to study resilience in healthcare, in particular how CHWs in Brazil have impacted positively on resilience in the health system there by creating a more adaptable, community-focused approach. Unlike traditional resilience research, FRAM allows us to predict and test how systems work in the every day, not just in crises. We want to use these research methods to understand health system resilience better by applying this research to the UK, where our Brazilian colleagues can advance these methods by directly comparing systems with and without CHWs. In Brazil, CHWs are established as a fundamental part of the SUS and such comparisons are no longer possible in the same way. This collaboration has the potential to make a significant impact in both countries. Global challenges like climate change, future pandemics, and the growing demands on health and social care systems due to an ageing population will require global solutions. The CHW workforce could be a key part of addressing these challenges. This proposal is the foundation for building strong alliances between our teams and organizations in both countries. This includes developing joint funding proposals, research projects, accessible blue prints and toolbox kits and engaging with key stakeholders for reciprocal learning. We will organize roundtable discussions with senior leaders, community members, and academics from both countries to ensure support for scaling and sustaining this model, and to quickly turn research into practice.
Strengthening health economics and climate change research in Brazil and the UK
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Climate change has a greater impact on the poorest countries and individuals. It adversely affects health, increases healthcare costs, and exacerbates inequalities. Globally, climate change is projected to cause 250,000 additional deaths annually. Brazil is a country highly vulnerable to the consequences of climate change. Climate change events have impacted the spread of diseases, caused large outbreaks of water and vector-borne diseases, and increased hospitalisation costs and deaths. Also, Brazil's status as one of the most unequal countries in Latin America puts the most vulnerable populations, which include black people, Indigenous communities, and residents of environmentally fragile areas such as informal settlements, at greater risk of the adverse effects of climate change. It is estimated that climate shocks could push between 800,000 and 3,000,000 Brazilians into extreme poverty by 2030, costing US$2.6 billion, or 0.1% of the country's GDP annually. Despite the severity of this scenario, there is a lack of evidence on how climate change contributes to increased healthcare costs for families and health systems, exacerbating inequalities in healthcare access, particularly among the most vulnerable populations. Although national datasets on healthcare costs for households and the public health system are freely available, they provide fragmented information, and there has been no effort to integrate different sources of information to develop methodological frameworks targeting the economic impact of climate change on the public health system and families. This proposal aims to strengthen health economics and climate change research in Brazil and the UK by developing a methodological framework that will explore the impact of climate change on health system costs, healthcare expenditures for families and inequalities in healthcare access in Brazil. The objectives of this proposal are to 1) examine the type of data that can be used to establish a national dataset to analyse the economic impact of climate change on the health system, families and patient costs, 2) develop a methodological framework to investigate how climate change has exacerbated healthcare inequalities and increased costs for the public health system and families, 3) engage with national stakeholders to promote and sustain health economics and climate change research in Brazil, 4) engage UK and Brazilian researchers to discuss health economics and climate change research and knowledge exchange. This research will identify population groups most at risk of high health expenditure, which can inform and reshape social protection schemes and targeted public health interventions. Also, it will strengthen health economics and climate change research in Brazil and the UK. These topics are crucial for building health system resilience, investing resources to prepare for climate change, mitigating its economic impact. This proposal is the first initiative designed to understand the economic impact of climate change on the public health sector and vulnerable families in Brazil by providing a methodological framework that can be adapted to other countries. This proposal will pave the way for new grant applications with a methodological framework aiming to determine the full economic impact of climate change in Brazil, as well as the cost-effectiveness and social return on investment of policies to mitigate the impact of climate change. Ultimately, the project will open a window of opportunities in health economics and climate change research that can generate strong evidence and benefit those most affected by these events.
Environmental consumption, production, and voting preferences: corresponding implications for structural transformation in Brazil
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
The role of evolving preferences over consumption goods has long been understood as a determinant of the pattern of structural transformation. However, the role that will be played by consumption preferences over particularly 'green' and 'brown' goods during the required climate transition is less well understood. The climate transition is also a 'structural transformation' problem - an issue of evolving sectoral structure -- and there is scope for extension of traditional analysis from development economics and development studies to the emergent problem of realising a just and developmental transition. Among the important socio-economic and political considerations for key stakeholders to ponder in driving forth climate action are the following issues: 1) that consumption preferences are likely to differ depending on where an individual sits in the income distribution; 2) that there may be conflict within firms over the choice of production technique since this influences the energy-intensity and emissions path of production; and 3) that workers and firm-owners, as well as other actors, influence the political process as voters, independent of their respective roles in consumption and production. In short, there are significant behavioural elements to the climate transition that require better empirical and theoretical understanding. Without understanding this behaviour, strategising a just and developmental transition to a greener economy is impossible. The central objective of this research is correspondingly to strategise how to reconcile structural transformation (raising the share of manufacturing production in total output) with the just transition. Given the historic energy intensity of manufacturing, this will be no mean feat, but it is surely one of the central global challenges for environmental activists, trade unions, policymakers -- and academics to strategise today. To do so, we aim to generate new empirical and theoretical insights into how preferences over consumption, production techniques, and voter behaviour impact the climate transition. Specifically, using the Brazilian context as an initial starting point, our research will help better understand preferences and behaviour in developing countries regarding these three crucial dimensions to the just transition. The research will consist of a survey investigating individual behaviour in each of these three dimensions and heterogeneity in behaviour along these dimensions. The objective of the research is to channel knew knowledge about behaviour of the aforementioned key actors to policy-relevant insights that can inform emboldened climate action for trade unionists, environmental activists, central bankers, treasury officials, and presidencies. This research will primarily benefit the Brazilian economy. Brazil faces substantial multi-dimensional development challenges related to its still limited levels of industrial development, high rates of poverty, and pronounced social and economic inequalities. It is ethnically heterogeneous, faces persistent legacies of institutionalised racial discrimination, has been historically influenced by non-democratic political traditions, and ranks among the most income -unequal economies in the world. Addressing those issues is the central focus of this research.
Ranching, Resources and Resilience: Uncovering the Impact of Land Grabbing in the Amazon
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Over the past few decades, Brazil has been growing a reputation as an "agricultural powerhouse" (Stabile et al. 2020), a global leader in global agricultural production. Yet, this increase in agricultural development has resulted in negative environmental and social outcomes, particularly in forested regions of the country with weak governance in areas of agricultural practice. Brazil has nearly 55 Mha undesignated public forests in the Amazon (Sparovek et al., 2019), yet due to lack of clarity on land legislation, unclaimed territory is often occupied by deregulated cattle ranchers, also known as land grabbers, who are becoming key players in the expansion of pastureland in Amazonia. These activities now constitute one of the main drivers of deforestation (63%), as livestock occupies up to 85% of land cleared (Hecht and Cockburn, 2010). Although the intensification of these practices is the main cause of the spread of deforestation in the Amazon, its impact on and the effects on water access are rarely recognised. Research is increasingly recognising that the environmental degradation linked to cattle ranching extends beyond deforestation, influencing the hydrological cycles in the region. The clearing of forests disrupts the natural water balance, reducing rainfall interception, groundwater recharge, and altering river flows. These changes not only affect local ecosystems but have broader implications for water availability, which is critical for both human consumption and agricultural productivity. The cumulative effect of these processes contributes to a cycle of increasing aridity, which could further exacerbate the challenges faced by communities and ecosystems in the Amazon. Understanding the interconnectivity between land use change, water resources, and socio-political factors forms the basis for developing effective frameworks to create practical, sustainable management strategies in endangered zones of the Amazon rainforest. This project will serve as an initial scoping study to lay the foundations for a larger project bid on cattle ranching, land management and associated water scarcity. The aim of the pilot study, which we classify as an environmental planning social study, is to initiate an innovative, actor-centred, and interdisciplinary investigation into land grabbing within the Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve (CMER) in the state of Acre, Brazil. The project will focus on two specific aspects of this phenomenon: 1) the relationship between land management and water access, and 2) the legal, social, and political mechanisms used to legitimise cattle ranching practices. Both research streams stem from the priorities and concerns of cattle ranchers themselves, identified through previous research in CMER that Dr Sabina Ribeiro has been conducting since 2015. The goal is to build networks among interdisciplinary scholars interested in these themes, in order to create a strong trajectory towards a larger project that will offer new insights into a phenomenon that has often been presented in reductive and homogeneous terms within the existing scholarly literature.
Providing climate justice for marginalised groups in the implementation of the UN Global Plastics Treaty in Brazil
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
The world is waking up to the problem of plastic pollution. The threat it poses to ecosystems and human health is global but not all communities are equally affected or equally culpable, with developed countries producing most waste and developing nations suffering the worst consequences (Xanthos and Walker, 2018; Nielsen, 2021). The challenges of plastic pollution and climate justice are therefore inextricably linked. In March 2022 UNEA, Resolution 5/14 mandated an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) produce a Global Plastics Treaty by the end of 2024, with implementation to begin in 2025. Their negotiations have been characterised by conflict between stakeholder groups with competing interests, from powerful coalitions of plastic-producing nations to representatives of marginalised communities already affected by the plastic crisis. Whatever treaty emerges from this crucible, its success will hinge on the ability of individual nations to turn it into effective, enforceable regulations capable of protecting not just the climate but also climate justice. Brazil, for example, produces much of Latin America's plastic waste and is home to marginalised communities and vital ocean and forest ecosystems already threatened by the rising tide of pollution. Here, as in the treaty negotiations, the governance of plastic is a contested topic, with diverse stakeholders defending disparate interests. THE CHALLENGE Realising the UN treaty's potential to enable Brazil to free its economy, people and globally-significant ecosystems from the menace of plastic pollution is a challenge that must be addressed now, while the opportunity still exists to guide the interpretation and codification of the treaty into national law and governance. AIMS To learn from the conflicts of interests between key stakeholder groups in the negotiation of the UN plastic treaty and use those lessons to help reconcile the needs of multistakeholders working on treaty implementation in Brazil with the goal of ensuring the resultant laws respect the needs of marginalised stakeholder groups and climate justice. To develop and empower early career researchers (ECRs) from the University of Surrey (UoS) and the University of São Paulo (USP), helping them develop collaborative skills and networks for addressing complex environmental challenges, whilst furthering their career goals.
Empowering Green Womenpreneurs
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
This project aims to develop a Circular Economy (CE) model specifically for micro and small beauty sector businesses led by women in Brazil, with benefits that extend to Global South countries. As the initial phase of a larger collaboration, this project will lay the groundwork by establishing essential connections and gathering preliminary data, with the goal of promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly women-led entrepreneurship. The initiative is a partnership between Coventry University in the UK and Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) University in Brazil. The beauty sector in Brazil, predominantly led by women, produces 120 billion pieces of packaging annually, representing 70% of its total waste. This significant environmental challenge, exacerbated by chemical waste from beauty products, threatens soil, water, climate, and human health. Women are central to this industry, with 285,000 female-led micro-sized businesses in São Paulo alone. They constitute 46.7% of Brazil's 13.2 million micro-entrepreneurs, contributing over £8 billion annually to the economy. To address these challenges, the project will empower female entrepreneurs in Brazil by leveraging UK best practices in CE, focusing on sustainable waste reduction, treatment, and management. As key drivers of economic activity and primary decision-makers in 72% of Brazilian households, women have the potential to influence broader societal behaviors and norms through sustainable practices. Targeting women aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality) by removing barriers to their economic participation and ensuring equal access to resources. This project also supports SDGs for industry innovation (SDG9), sustainable cities (SDG11), responsible consumption (SDG12), climate action (SDG13), and global partnerships (SDG17). Empowering women in this sector addresses gender inequality while driving environmental sustainability and economic growth, with the potential to boost inclusive growth and global GDP.
Engagement collaboration: Water bonds to mitigate environmental risks
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Water is indispensable for life, health, and human activities. As such, sustaining water resources and addressing their scarcity is an urgent global challenge. Latin American countries on the DAC list, like Brazil, are under enormous pressure to manage water resources sustainably. Over 100 million Brazilians lack access to safe sanitation, and more than 200 million rely mostly on hydropower for electricity (OECD, 2022), highlighting the urgent need for innovative solutions. Addressing these issues requires leveraging financial instruments that can drive sustainable environmental projects effectively. With a specific focus on Brazil, our proposed research aims to integrate an environmental risk approach into analysing the impacts of green bond investments, specifically on water resources. Green bonds are financial instruments designed to fund sustainable environmental projects, such as infrastructure, to address water-related challenges. However, their actual environmental effectiveness and transparency remain underexplored (Ehlers et al., 2020, Jia, 2023, Fatica and Panzica, 2021). Collaboration is at the heart of our approach. The UK is the global leader in water bonds, while Brazil leads in Latin America. By bringing together UK and Brazilian researchers, we aim to foster the exchange of world-class knowledge and innovative ideas and develop networks with local stakeholders; crucial in driving forward our research and ensuring its practical relevance. This partnership will enhance our collective ability to tackle the environmental challenges associated with sustainable finance. Our objectives are clear: to foster new collaborations, establish fresh partnerships and networks, and develop innovative research projects scalable for further funding applications. These goals will be achieved through a structured approach involving stakeholders via interviews, a workshop, dissemination of findings, and development of further research proposals. Ultimately, by addressing the complexities of environmental risk in green finance, our research will contribute significantly to global sustainable development and environmental stewardship. The timing of this research is pertinent due to the global push towards sustainable water infrastructure and the urgency to limit the rise in global temperature. Our project aligns with Sustainable Development Goals SDG6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG8 (decent work and economic growth) and SDG17 (partnerships for the goals). Moreover, the upcoming COP 30 in Brazil in 2025 places the Amazon at the centre of global sustainability and climate change discussions. COP 30 presents a crucial opportunity for the Amazon region to address innovative financial instruments like green bonds, offering a unique platform for our research to contribute to global solutions for water scarcity and climate resilience. Our project brings together researchers from the UK and Brazil, blending expertise in sustainability and finance to tackle complex sustainable finance challenges. Dr Beltran leads the UK team, specialising in sustainability transitions, with Dr Park contributing green finance knowledge and Dr Robins focusing on stakeholder engagement. In Brazil, Dr. Lima dos Santos brings expertise in sustainability and integrated reporting, supported by Dr. Dias in environmental accounting. Professors Tjahjono, Pereira, and Dr. Torres provide insights into sustainable operations, financial risk management, and environmental governance. Team members also participate in the RELES network (Latin American Sustainability Studies) (https://reles.dcya.cl). In conclusion, this project is not only timely but also essential. It will advance our understanding of green finance's impact on critical resources like water, promote innovative solutions to environmental challenges, and support broader goals of climate resilience and sustainable development in Brazil and will have implications far beyond its borders.
Inclusive Green Finance - An evaluation of "Fomenta Maricá", Brazil
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
This project creates a new collaboration between SOAS (UK) and UFF (Brazil) through a scoping study of the inclusive green finance project "Fomenta Maricá" and a two-day workshop in May 2025 with academics and policymakers. The goal is to evaluate the initiative and potentially suggest improvements and replication in other oil-rich medium-sized cities in Brazil and abroad. Given the negative socio-economic effects of climate change, a green transition strategy is urgent for oil-dependent regions. Maricá is among 485 Brazilian cities that earn royalties from oil exploitation. Maricá's government has led innovative initiatives to re-distribute earnings and foster the local economy. In 2017, it created the first subnational Sovereign Wealth Fund, of which 30% of funds would be allocated to local development projects. In 2020, it launched the programme "Fomenta Maricá", which provides loans to micro- and small enterprises (MSEs). Unlike previous microloans, those funds have higher borrowing limits, low interest rates and longer maturity. The scoping study will analyse existing quantitative data from Maricá's government project "Fomenta Maricá" to understand the profile of borrowers, how they employ the funds and whether they manage to repay the loan fully and on time. We are particularly interested in the disbursement to solar panel installation firms and their application. We will conduct small-sampled qualitative research with borrowers and policymakers to uncover potential challenges and spillovers that might not be grasped by the quantitative information. Given the existing literature, we could assume gender and race barriers and sectoral differences. We also expect challenges from solar panel firms, such as lack of demand and rising business costs. Yet, we could also expect spillover benefits beyond the firm, such as improvements in household well-being and social cohesion. We anticipate that the results can advance existing research on inclusive green finance by providing new evidence of state-led initiatives for sustainable local development. Three Early Career Researchers will form the research team: Thereza B Reis (SOAS), Fernanda Feil and Fernando Teixeira (UFF). Thereza will contribute to the project with her expertise on financial inclusion, Fernanda will contribute with her insights on state-led sustainable finance, and Fernando will contribute with his knowledge about microfinance and subnational Sovereign Funds in Brazil. To consolidate the partnership between SOAS and UFF, we want to organise a 2-day workshop in May 2025 to discuss issues of green finance and financial inclusion. We will organise it through SOAS' Centre for Sustainable Finance and UFF's Financialisation and Development Research Group (FINDE) to promote and strengthen the relationship between those two networks. We expect our preliminary results and workshop to improve Maricá's sustainable development policies, as well as foster similar initiatives for oil-dependent towns in Brazil and beyond. The Global Talent Exchange Award will be essential for the success of the scoping study as it will allow Thereza to conduct fieldwork in Maricá alongside UFF's researchers. Furthermore, it will provide the financing for the workshop, enabling the attendance of participants from outside Rio de Janeiro. Finally, we believe that such connections will allow for future joint research projects and application to larger funds, such as the ESRC-FAPESP grant, which would allow us to expand the research on inclusive green finance to other cities, such as Ilha Bela (São Paulo).
Place-Based Engagement Strategies with Local Communities for better Climate Resilience Governance in Disaster Situations
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
This project aims to develop place-based and context-specific civic engagement strategies in collaboration with local government officials and relevant civic stakeholders in Caxias do Sul, Brazil. The goal is to help local authorities increase awareness of climate change challenges and engage communities in building resilience against disasters. Recent floods in the area have exposed a significant lack of public awareness regarding climate vulnerability and its consequences. This lack of awareness has heightened the population's vulnerability to future extreme weather events, leaving the region less capable of adapting to extreme weather-related impacts of climate change, such as floods, heavy storms, and heatwaves and their consequences. To address these challenges, the project seeks to empower local authorities to develop better tools and methods for engagement processes that help deliver climate resilience strategies and broaden local voices in policy making. Focusing on Caxias do Sul, the project seeks to foster collaborations between researchers from Brazil and the UK to enable local authorities create innovative and effective approaches for disaster preparedness and response and co-produce climate resilience strategies. This initiative will be delivered through a series of workshops organised in partnership with researchers from the Universidade de Caxias do Sul. The primary objective is to enhance the capacity of local governments in Rio Grande do Sul to engage effectively with communities for improved climate resilience governance in disaster-prone areas. The workshops will foster dialogue between UK and Brazilian researchers and local stakeholders to develop and share best practices and methodologies for community engagement. They will address challenges such as inclusion, communication, and policy integration, emphasising practical implementation and sustainability. By providing a platform for exchanging ideas and strategies, the workshops aim to create adaptable solutions for diverse contexts. As the impacts of climate change affect us more and more, local governments face the pressing challenge of building long term resilience while effectively responding to disasters. Historically, top-down response efforts and mitigation strategies have often failed to meet local needs on the ground. Recently, the focus has been shifting towards policies that leverage local expertise and resources, emphasising the need for civic engagement. Local communities are the first responders to disasters and by involving them in producing, planning and delivering climate resilience knowledge and strategies, local governments can tap into valuable local assets, foster a sense of ownership, and ensure the long-term sustainability of their efforts. Collaborative, place-based approaches not only improve the relevance and effectiveness of climate mitigation and adaptation measures, but also strengthen civic resilience and address broader issues of sustainability. By adopting a context-sensitive and inclusive approach to climate resilience governance, local governments can better address the complexities of climate change adaptation and mitigation, deal better with disaster situations such as the recent floods in the region, and enhance the overall well-being and adaptive capacity of their communities. This project represents a critical step towards building more resilient and sustainable cities in the face of growing climate challenges.
ADAPTA-Mossoró: Collaborative Asset Planning for Urban Climate Change Adaptation in Mossoró, Brazil
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
According to the United Nations, over half of the world's population lives in urban areas, and projections indicate that by 2050, approximately 68% of the global population will be urbanised. Rapid urbanisation is perceived as increasing the vulnerability of urban centres to climate change impacts. It has, for instance, increased climate injustice through the concentration of people in low-lying coastal zones at risk from sea-level rise, severe weather events, and constraints on freshwater. In Brazil, where approximately 85% of the population lives in urban areas (IBGE, 2022), data from the National Confederation of Municipalities [Confederação Nacional de Municípios (CNM)] show that 93% of Brazilian cities were affected by climatic events from 2013 to 2022, and 4.2 million people had to leave their homes in 47% of Brazil's municipalities. Although Brazil is revising and implementing a new climate strategy, concrete actions to address urban climate uncertainties are sparse and limited (Barbi, 2016). This scenario gets even worse in Brazil's semi-arid northeast (SANEB), where climate change has increased the compounding and overlapping vulnerabilities of previously neglected and marginalised communities. Mossoró, SANEB's capital and a mid-sized city with approximately 264,577 residents (IBGE, 2022), is an excellent example of this, as it experiences intense sunlight, high temperatures, and a rainfall pattern characterised by scarcity, irregularity, and concentrated precipitation over three months. . This leads to frequent heatwaves and flash floods, which disproportionately affect the vulnerable population living in precarious housing and low-lying areas. To achieve Sustainable Development Goals (particularly SDG 11), creating inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities is urgently needed to support climate change mitigation and adaptation. Local governments and communities affected assume a central role in climate action planning. However, depending on the tools and strategies implemented, it risks exacerbating already deep social, economic, and political divisions in cities if it is not co-created, co-produced, and co-managed. To avoid climate vulnerabilities being tackled in a fragmented manner by conventional adaptation approaches, there is thus increasing urgency for researchers, planners, and policymakers to adopt participatory and intersectional frames that tackle these climate injustices while simultaneously striving to expand capacity to build transformative, sustainable futures. This proposal builds on emerging findings and collaborations established between Lancaster University (LU) and Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (UERN) during the "Accumulation by segregation and dispossession project" funded by LU's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), while engaging policymakers and the public in climate change discussions in Mossoro, Brazil. The project adopts a transdisciplinary, pro-poor, and intersectional approach, utilising participatory appraisal methods, to explore how marginalised communities in the city of Mossoro understand and are impacted by climate injustice. The project will expand on a long-standing collaboration with a non-academic partner, Fridays for Future Mossoro, stakeholders, and an impacted community to co-produce knowledge and seek to inform policy at a time when Brazil's National Climate Plan 2024-2035 is being developed and cities across the country are gaining visibility. Brazil will also host the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 30) in November 2025. This event provides momentum for collaboration and the development of future projects arising from this pilot experience. Ultimately, the collaboration aims to benefit a historically neglected region within Brazil by addressing climate-related challenges and inspiring actions across the region and similar contexts globally.
Climate Science for Service Partnership (CSSP) Brazil - Calls- tender-UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Collaborative climate science research programme between Brazilian and UK to improve understanding of recent climate changes and Brazil’s role in mitigation activities to inform international negotiations; to enhance projections of future weather and climate extremes and impacts to inform decision making and contribute to disaster risk reduction in Brazil. Research on Moisture Transport and Deforestation.