As a student majoring in Global Business and minoring in Latin American studies, I am fascinated with the importance of finance and development within the sphere of climate change. I hope to use this opportunity to analyze the Latin American urban planning leading climate change mitigation efforts.
As climate change continues to garner more attention throughout the world, there are cities leading the way with innovative solutions to ameliorate environmental degradation. While there are various metropolises in Latin America that have targeted climate change policies, cities in more rural areas with smaller populations are less well-known for their strategies. My research analyzes the environmental programs present in Palmas, Brazil. Palmas is the capital city of the state of Tocantins with a population of around 300,000 people. I analyze its various climate-forward programs promoted by the Palmas City Hall and Fundação Municipal de Meio Ambiente (FMA) to understand the components of the city that have made it a leader in the climate change mitigation sphere. I hope to answer the question of whether the policies of Palmas can be emulated in other rural communities throughout Brazil and the rest of the Latin American region, or whether Palmas stands alone as an environmental miracle.
