Belo Horizonte is one of six Brazilian cities selected for a bilateral acceleration program between Brazil and the United Kingdom to find solutions to help reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
Together with companies, the project seeks models that can decarbonize transport in Brazil (and the world), enabling efficient, effective and low-cost transport.
The program works by defining innovation challenges, researching the right startups to solve the problem, and fostering collaboration between companies and startups to create successful business opportunities.
Besides BH, the following municipalities were selected to participate in the project: Curitiba, Sorocaba, Campinas, São José dos Campos and Caxias do Sul.
Three of the six cities selected for the next phase will receive the incentives offered in the program and serve as a base for testing the solutions to be implemented.
According to City Hall, the capital city of Minas Gerais was chosen due to the breadth of technological studies, the advancement of public policies to mitigate fossil fuel emissions, and the measures to combat climate change developed by the municipality.
“Our city has already taken important steps in the decarbonization of activities and services, and prioritizing such actions, it encourages exchange between international forces and innovative companies, accelerating the arrival of this result,” said the municipal secretary. Meo Environment, Mario Wernecke.
The capital has an updated greenhouse gas emissions inventory, a tool for analyzing hazards and climate impacts, in addition to a full diagnostic platform of energy consumption and water resources in the city.
In addition, the public administration explains, in 2021, the city joined the global Race to Zero campaign, considering the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.
According to UNEP Department of Energy and Climate, “Human-caused greenhouse gas emissions threaten human and environmental health, and the impacts will be more widespread and damaging without powerful climate action.”
The Pre-Effective Emissions Reduction Program (PREGEE) was also revised, along with tools to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Also, by the end of the year, the Local Climate Action Plan (PLAC), a document that will determine policies to reduce emissions and reduce material and human losses caused by extreme weather events in the city, says PBH.
Flávio Tavares/Today
In addition, last year, trials were launched with a 100% electric bus in the municipal public transport system, the result of a joint effort between the City of Belo Horizonte, Semik Sim, BYD, BHTrans, Municipal Secretariat for the Environment, ICLEI/TAP. , WRI Brazil and Viação Torres.
The bus ran for 30 days on four routes in different parts of Belo Horizonte. The study is in the final stages of completion to evaluate the efficiency, consumption, emission of atmospheric pollution and noise, and to verify the technical and economic feasibility of its use in the public transport system in the capital.
One of the mitigation strategies for burning fossil fuels in the atmosphere is to use electrical energy as a means of propulsion for vehicles.
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Henry Blackwell is a contributor at Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a wide range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. He focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and useful information that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. His work highlights stories that matter to everyday audiences, with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and accessible journalism.