São Paulo, Brazil

São Paulo published its State Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan (PEARC) in 2025, before Brazil’s updated national adaptation plan. Prepared with more than 600 contributions from public institutions, the private sector, civil society, and communities in vulnerable situations, PEARC addresses risks across the state and includes support for municipal adaptation planning.

This case study looks at how São Paulo works with its 645 municipalities and participates in AdaptaCidades, a federal programme informed by the state’s earlier municipal support work. Through the programme, São Paulo provides regional climate data and technical guidance to help local authorities prepare adaptation plans. AdaptaCidades offers training and technical assistance rather than direct funding, leaving municipalities to secure the resources needed for implementation.

The publication is part of a special collection developed by Regions4 with the support of the European Climate Foundation (ECF) on subnational governments’ engagement with national adaptation plans. It examines São Paulo’s contribution to national programme design alongside the practical limits of its work: coordination with federal authorities remains irregular, reporting requirements are not yet established, and available funding meets only part of the state’s adaptation needs.