The Confederação Nacional de Municípios (CNM), headquartered in Brasília, is the most influential representative body of Brazil’s municipalities. Under the longstanding leadership of its President, Paulo Ziulkoski—who also serves as Vice President of the Council of the Instituto Climático Von Bohlen & Halbach (VBH)—the CNM represents over 5,000 municipalities and plays a pivotal role in shaping national policy within Brazil’s federal structure.

One of CNM’s central annual events is the “Marcha a Brasília em Defesa dos Municípios” (March to Brasília in Defense of Municipalities), whose 25th edition took place in 2024. On this occasion, Peter von Bohlen & Halbach, founder of the Instituto Climático VBH, had the distinct honor of joining the Brazilian Minister of the Environment on the main stage during the inaugural Climate Panel. This panel marked a significant milestone in elevating the climate agenda at the municipal level in Brazil.

The 26th edition of the Marcha is scheduled for May 19–22, 2025, with the Climate Panel on May 20, 2025 once again expected to be a highlight of the summit. It will bring together prominent leaders from government, science, and practice to discuss innovative pathways toward local climate action.

The CNM has already commissioned studies to assess the carbon reduction potential of its ten largest cities. These studies identify strategic areas such as sustainable urban mobility, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and circular economy solutions. The Instituto Climático VBH will serve as CNM’s technical partner in implementing these measures, with a strong emphasis on internationally certifiable climate mitigation actions, especially under the CORSIA standard.

The collaboration between CNM and the Instituto Climático VBH—with joint participation in the Council by Paulo Ziulkoski and Peter von Bohlen & Halbach—represents a new era of cooperative climate governance. It sets an example of how federal structures and global standards can be effectively integrated to support concrete municipal climate initiatives.