alt

    Initiative

    Collaborative Action Platform Brazil

    An Initiative of Challenge 2 – Future Urban Living

    Strengthening Climate Resilience Through Cross-Sector Collaboration

    The Collaborative Action Platform Brazil (CAP) is a multi-stakeholder alliance to address one of today’s most urgent global challenges: how to build resilient, equitable spaces in the face of accelerating climate change. Launched as an initiative under Challenge 2 – Future Urban Living, CAP puts into practice the Challenge’s core ambition: to rethink how cities can become more innovative, sustainable, and adaptive in the face of rising urban and environmental pressures. By bringing together leaders from business, government, philanthropy, science, and civil society, CAP creates a space for bold collaboration. It focuses on identifying and scaling solutions that not only respond to Brazil’s specific climate vulnerabilities, but also offer transferable insights, generating scalable solutions with international relevance.Why Brazil?Brazil’s urban areas are increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change due to a combination of rapid urbanization, aging infrastructure, social inequality, and environmental stressors such as urban heat islands and water management issues. These local challenges carry global significance—as Brazil’s success in addressing them can inform sustainable urban futures worldwide.

    Our approach

    Rethinking Collaboration

    Collaborative efforts often fall short when they rely on traditional, hierarchical planning methods that fail to reflect how people and systems truly connect. CAP offers something different: the infrastructure and resources for a new kind of collective intelligence—one that enables open dialogue, cross-sector collaboration, and relationship-building across boundaries. CAP exists to understand complex local contexts, offer fresh perspectives, and create bridges between individuals and networks. Our goal is to foster a culture of openness and co-creation that leads to real, lasting impact.

    What makes the Collaborative Action Platform unique
    The Collaborative Action Platform Brazil stands out due to its smart balance between global and local leadership. Backed by the BMW Foundation’s mid-term guidance, the platform gets the strategic support it needs to gain momentum, while its long-term success is anchored in local ownership—ensuring that the impact is not only meaningful but sustainable. It’s also part of a larger goal: to implement and scale the BMW Foundation’s Multi-stakeholder Impact Alliance in other countries. In that sense, Brazil isn’t just a starting point—it’s setting the pace for a new way of driving collaborative, cross-sector change around the world.
    Multi-stakeholder orchestration with strong industry involvement
    Scalable implementation of climate adaptation and nature-based solutions, locally and globally
    A platform for open innovation and collaborative problem-solving
    International bridge-building to connect Brazilian solutions with global actors, especially in Europe

    Stakeholders at the core of the collaborative action Platform

    The Solutions

    OBSERVATÓRIO ​DAS BAIXADAS
    Belém, Brazil
    Website    A project mapping lowland region with an interactive atlas and a dossier to be presented at COP30. ​It aims to influence public policies on climate vulnerabilities, connecting climate action and local communities, fostering advocacy and awareness in marginalized areas.
    PROGRAMA ​SOLUÇÃO NATUREZA 
    Curitiba, Brazil
    Website    A program by Fundação Grupo Boticário enhancing urban resilience through six initiatives: project incubation, financial training, funding models, awareness, regulatory support, and practical tools for implementing Nature-Based Solutions (NBS).
    REGENERA RS
    Rio Grade do Sul, Brazil
    Website    A catalytic fund promoting sustainable regeneration of Rio Grande do Sul after natural disasters. Focused on urban infrastructure, education, housing, and businesses, it mobilizes financial, social, and intellectual capital. Established through partnerships between corporations, foundations, government, and civil society. 
    Working Groups
    The working groups will have around 15 participants each, experts and leaders  in the respective area of action, that will collaborate and support the Collaborative Action Platform.​​ The Areas of Action have been identified as key levers to drive progress in the project. Each one represents a strategic entry point for scaling nature-based solutions, overcoming systemic barriers, and unlocking transformative impact. By mobilizing targeted expertise and coordinated efforts in these areas, the working groups will catalyze concrete advances in policy, finance, communication, and community empowerment and drive measurable impact.
    Areas of Action of the Working Groups
    Innovative Financing Increase funding for nature-based solutions through innovative financial mechanisms and Business Models
    • Create new financial instruments, such as crowdfunding, carbon credits, and payments for environmental services, to facilitate the growth of sustainable initiatives.
    • Blended finance
    • Green finance
    • Payment for environmental services
    • Carbon markets
    • Biodiversity credits
    • Sustainable business models
    Local Protagonism Build capacity of local initiatives & leaders in nature-based solutions to increase funding access, scale initiatives and amplify their voices in decision-making.
    • Foster small businesses and entrepreneurs connected to Nature Based Solutions
    • Build capacity and connections for community initiatives, especially in the peripheries, ensuring their voices are heard
    • Provide the necessary support and resources for initiatives that promote the nature-based solutions
    Knowledge and Communication Communicate the benefits and learnings of the effectiveness of nature-based solutions for climate resilience and people's wellbeing
    • Create pilots of Nature Based Solutions for climate adaptation and demonstrate their benefits
    • Create communication campaigns to raise awareness about nature-based solutions
    • Influence key stakeholders from the different sectors to include nature-based solutions in their activities
    • Influence real estate, facilities and construction industries to work with nature-based solutions
    Advocacy and Public PolicyIntegrate include nature-based solutions into public policies and urban development plans for climate adaptation
    • Influence urban planning to include nature-based solutions;
    • Include nature-based solutions in climate adaptation plans;
    • Create public incentives for nature-based solutions
    Advisory Council
    The Advisory Council aims to provide input, feedback and recommendations for the Collaborative Action Platform based on their expertise, helping to ensure that the initiative is on track to realise its highest potential
    • Bruna Barros
      Executive Director, Renova BR, leadership development for newly-elected politicians


    • Bruno Girardi
      Director of Investment, Sitawi, funding for local projects in biomes

    • Cecilia Herzog
      Nature Based Solutions (NBS) Specialist and one of the most prolific experts in Brazil

    • Aline Odara
      Executive Director, Agbara Fund, first philanthropic fund for black women in Brazil

    • Dr. Thereza Paiva
      Professor, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Former Secretary of Science and Technology of the city of Rio de Janeiro (until Dec. 2024)



    Methodology

    Start to Impact

    Start to Impact—or S2i—is how we move from idea to action. It’s our way of making sure the bold challenges we take on don’t just spark discussion, but lead to measurable, lasting impact. Here’s how it works: From the moment we define a challenge, we guide the entire journey—bringing together the right people, creating the space for deep collaboration, and ensuring that progress stays on track. We don’t build the solutions ourselves—but we make sure the people who can are in the room, connected, and moving forward.

    Contact us

    Lara Martins
    E-Mail latinamerica@bmw-foundation.org

    Lara Martins is the project manager for the Collaborative Action Platform and she is part of our Leadership & Challenges Team. You can contact Lara with all questions regarding our Work in Brazil and around the Collaborative Action Platform.