Dsc Alarm Shows Trouble

The local government has an important role in reducing emissions

International Association of local governments and other organizations dedicated to environmental issues, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability has over 1,000 members worldwide, cities, municipalities and associations.

Because of its scope and urgency of climate change has become one of the main areas of work of the institution and the project led to the cities for the Protection Climate. In this interview, Laura Valente, who teaches in the management of the environment, talks about the role of local governments and how they can cooperate in the fight against global warming.

Weather Review - specifically with climate change, what are the municipalities participating in the campaign?

Laura Valente - ICLEI was the first international organization to do the project for reducing greenhouse gases at the municipal level. Today there are over 700 cities. In Brazil, where the campaign began in 2000, seven (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Betim, Goiania, Volta Redonda and Las Palmas) and Belo Horizonte have viene.Todos these emissions inventory, using the methodology developed especially for Latin America, where the campaign is also present in Tomé, Chile and Buenos Aires, Avellaneda, Argentina.

Weather Review - Why focus on local government is so important?

Laura Valente - In fact, the skills are different and each level of government has its role, but there must be integration between them. The local government deals with issues of everyday life. Legislative power and the municipal executive to act directly on the lives of ciudadanos.Al act as it should be more effective in raising awareness and educating people. The measures are more accessible to local people, because people are living in the city. The state has a very important, because as the environment has no borders, is the body preparing the amarre.El government of national identity to the more general. But the transforming power undoubtedly is greater at the local level - is concrete.

Weather Review - What kind of measures the city government can take to reduce emissions?

Laura Valente - depends on the scale of the city, but some measures are universal. The first thing that is immediately apparent, is the education and supervision of traffic. When you create a more educated citizens are required cosas.El best local government must also work mobility, which means for mobility management and not vehicular traffic, including sidewalks, bicycle lanes, etc signosAdemás All municipal structures, including the leaders and servants, should set an example through measures such as: having a fleet of clean cars, no breach have collection programs and energy efficiency in public buildings legal in public works and buildings, sustainable business practice.
Source: Climate in Review, No. 10, IPAM / CES-FGV