Conference
This year’s COP30, the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference, will be held in Belém, Brazil, from November 10th to 21st, focusing on critical climate issues, challenges, and opportunities that impact nations worldwide. Transport will have a dedicated thematic program at COP30, grouped with Energy and Industry, reflecting its close interlinkages with these sectors. Find the schedule in Portuguese at ITDPBrasil.org.
ITDP will have a presence at events leading up to and during the weeks of COP30. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Bluesky, Threads, and Facebook for the latest information!
COP30 Local Leaders Forum and C40 World Mayors Summit
Museu de Arte Moderna | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | All Day Event
Hosted by the COP30 Presidency and Bloomberg Philanthropies, the COP30 Local Leaders Forum will unite policymakers, governors, and subnational officials from around the world to showcase how local action is driving global climate progress. The Forum puts local leadership at the heart of global negotiations, showcasing scalable city-led solutions and ensuring local priorities shape the outcomes of COP30.
In addition, the C40 World Mayors Summit, co-hosted by the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro Eduardo Paes, will kick off the Local Leaders Forum by convening mayors from nearly 100 C40 cities, alongside business leaders, philanthropists, investors, academics, and civil society.
Fireside: Brazil’s E-Bus Market
Panel: Public Transport Electrification and Transformation
Decarbonizing Public Transport for All: Leveraging Climate Finance for a Just Transition
Teatro Carlos Gomes | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 8:30AM-12PM Local Time
Hosted by ITDP Brazil and the Crux Alliance, this event brings together transport experts and stakeholders to explore the role of zero-emission public transport in advancing social equity, emphasizing the need to direct more climate finance towards this goal. Through two dynamic panels, participants will explore how financial mechanisms can support public transport projects in Brazilian cities, contributing to both climate mitigation and adaptation.
The discussions will also address pathways for a just mobility transition, ensuring that environmental goals are aligned with social inclusion and economic justice. This event will take place before the official start of COP30, with ITDP CEO Heather Thompson delivering remarks. If you will be in Rio de Janeiro, RSVP for the event here.
Panel: Financing the Transition — Leveraging Climate Funds for Public Transport
Panel: From Climate Action to Social Justice — Ensuring Equity in the Transition to Zero-Emission Public Transport
Smart Cities and Urban Mobility: Innovation for Decarbonization
Casa Basil Auditorium, Praça Waldemar Henrique | Belém, Brazil | 2PM-3PM Local Time
ITDP Brazil Director Clarisse Cunha Linke will be moderating this discussion.
Conversation Circle on Mobility and Climate Adaptation
COP30 Green Zone, Creative Economy Building | Belém, Brazil | 4:30–5:30PM Local Time
ITDP Brazil Director Clarisse Cunha Linke will be in this roundtable discussion.
Scaling Finance for Impact: Clean Buses, Clean Air, Shared Prosperity
COP30 Blue Zone, SLOCAT Pavilion | Belém, Brazil | 1PM Local Time
Hosted by SLOCAT Partnership in the COP30 Blue Zone, this event will highlight the importance of climate finance in supporting the transition to electric bus systems. ITDP’s research on Compact Cities Electrified offers global and country roadmaps that quantify the needs, costs, and pathways for decarbonizing transport. Bus electrification, when complemented by active mobility, is among the most cost-effective and equitable climate strategies. When further supported by clean and reliable energy sources, it can be the cornerstone of all urban futures.
Through models from the World Bank and BNDES (Brazilian Development Bank), this discussion will highlight how concessional loans, blended finance, and private-public partnerships can scale investment and impact across the energy and transport sectors. Speakers include ITDP CEO Heather Thompson, Gabriela Elizondo Azuela (World Bank), and Felipe Borim Villen (BNDES)
Resilient Cities: Urban Mobility and Climate Action
COP30 Blue Zone, World Climate Impact Hub Pavilion | Belém, Brazil | 1PM Local Time
Hosted by AYA Earth Partners, ITDP Brazil's Clarisse Cunha Linke will participate in this discussion alongside Luana Ozemela (iFood) and Miguel Setas (Motiva).
National Urban Mobility Study (ENMU): A Historic Milestone for Impactful Planning and Financing
COP30 Green Zone, BNDES Pavilion | Belém, Brazil | 11AM Local Time
The panel in the BNDES pavilion of the COP30 Green Zone will present the main results and developments of the National Urban Mobility Study (ENMU), an initiative led by BNDES (Brazilian Development Bank) in partnership with the Ministry of Cities, aimed at planning and structuring sustainable urban transport projects in the country’s largest metropolitan regions. I still don’t have information about other participants. ITDP Brazil’s Clarisse Cunha Linke will be speaking during the session.
Clean Cities, Smarter Grids: Harnessing Policy to Turn Challenges into Impact
Espaço Folha, Avenida Doutor Freitas | Belém, Brazil | 4PM-7:30PM Local Time
Decisions made now will determine whether Latin America and other emerging economies can leapfrog to a clean energy future. From electrifying public transport to managing energy demand more intelligently, policy will be the key driver of success. Together, these panels hosted by media outlet Folha de S.Paulo and the Crux Alliance will highlight how governments can design and implement policies that unlock investment, accelerate deployment, and deliver tangible benefits.
Drawing on lessons from Brazil, India, Mexico, and others, policymakers and experts will examine how coordinated policy action can advance climate goals while improving lives — offering practical insights for turning clean energy ambition into real-world progress. Read this recent op-ed article in Folha de S.Paulo, co-authored by ITDP Brazil, for more perspectives on Brazil’s transport and climate opportunities. If you will be attending COP30, RSVP for this event here.
Panel: Driving Clean Cities — Policy Pathways for Bus Electrification in Latin America and Beyond
UN Decade of Sustainable Transport 2026–2035 and Climate Action
COP30 Blue Zone, SDGs Pavilion | Belém, Brazil | 10:15AM-12:15PM Local Time
Co-organized by UN-ESCAP, SLOCAT Partnership, and UN-DESA at the COP30 Blue Zone SDGs Pavilion, ITDP Brazil’s Clarisse Cunha Linke will participate in this event, highlighting the first-ever UN Decade of Sustainable Transport set to start in 2026.
Public Transportation and Decarbonization: Connecting Efficiency, Integration, and Climate Impact
BalacoolBar, Av Marechal Hermes | Belém, Brazil | 3PM-4:30PM Local Time
This discussion is hosted by C.A.S.E., a coalition of leading companies in Brazil (Bradesco, Itaú, Itaúsa, Natura, Nestlé, Vale, and Marcopolo) that are working collectively to position Brazil as a leader in the global climate agenda. This event will highlight the crucial role of public transport in reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the country with better integration and efficiency. Speakers include ITDP CEO Heather Thompson, André Armaganijan (Marcopolo), Luciana Costa (BNDES – Brazilian Development Bank), and Pedro Sutter (Motiva).
From Commitment to Implementation: Showcasing Brazil’s Leadership
COP30 Blue Zone, Transport Pavilion | Belém, Brazil | 9AM-10AM Local Time
Co-organized by the Brazilian Ministry of Transport, Sistema Transporte, and SLOCAT Partnership, this event will include ITDP Brazil's Clarisse Cunha Linke speaking about the team's work with the regional Mitigation Action Facility (MAF).
The New Sustainable Mobility in Historic Cities
Portugal Pavilion | Belém, Brazil | 11AM Local Time
Organized by the Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes (IMT) during Transport Day at the Portugal Pavilion, this international session will enable a unique dialogue between historical preservation and innovation in mobility, highlighting solutions such as the BRT system and the expansion of electromobility. Participants in the panel include ITDP Brazil's Clarisse Cunha Linke and Wagner Collombini Martins (LOGIT and ITDP Brazil Board Member).
Public Management, Governance, and Partnerships for Achieving Climate Goals in Urban Mobility
COP30 Green Zone, Espaço CNT | Belém, Brazil | 4PM-5PM Local Time
The Brazilian Federal Government, through the Climate Mitigation Plan, has set goals to expand public transport services and promote walking and cycling. It also aims to decarbonize the urban bus fleet and reduce the use of fossil fuels in vehicles operating in Brazil’s largest metropolitan regions, while also considering the contribution of medium-sized cities in achieving these goals.
This panel, hosted at the Espaço CNT in the COP30 Green Zone, aims to address the challenges and best practices in governance and management for implementing sustainable urban mobility projects involving the Government, the Private Sector, and Civil Society. Speakers include ITDP Brazil’s Clarisse Cunha Linke and representatives from the National Association of Urban Transport Companies (NTU), National Association of Passenger Rail Operators (ANTP Trilhos), and National Front of Mayors (FNP).
The Digital Shift Toward Inclusive, Low-Carbon Mobility
COP30 Blue Zone, Transport Pavilion | Belém, Brazil | 3PM-4PM Local Time
Hosted by UN-Habitat and UNEP, this event explores how innovation can accelerate low-carbon transport solutions, drawing on practical insights from different countries and city case studies. As cities around the world grapple with escalating climate and mobility challenges, innovative solutions—including shared electric mobility, advanced data collection, and smart infrastructure—are unlocking new pathways to decarbonize transport systems. ITDP Brazil’s Clarisse Cunha Linke will spotlight experiences from the IKI ACCESS project in Latin America and Brazil.