Sustainable cities, both now and in the future, are at the heart of the project signed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and FUNBIO in March 2023. CITinova II –Promoting integrated metropolitan planning and innovative urban technology investments in Brazil is an initiative of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MCTI) designed to accelerate sustainable development in Brazilian metropolitan regions by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and prioritizing biodiversity conservation.

CITinova II is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), which channels contributions from signatory countries to a programmatic agenda for global ecosystem protection. UNEP’s Climate and Biodiversity Divisions serve as the implementing agency for this investment. The project is carried out through a partnership in which MCTI acts as the executing agency, while FUNBIO and UNEP Brazil serve as co-executing agencies.

CITinova targets three mid-sized urban regions: the metropolitan areas of Belém (Pará) and Florianópolis (Santa Catarina), as well as the Integrated Development Region of Teresina, which spans municipalities in Piauí and Maranhão. This initiative builds on the first phase of CITinova, which ed the development of model projects in Brasília (Federal District) and Recife (Pernambuco).

The three target regions represent mid-sized Brazilian cities experiencing significant urban growth and requiring innovative solutions to address emerging challenges. The project is structured around four key components. The first focuses on strengthening regional collaboration by ing municipalities in each region through governance arrangements to address shared challenges. The second involves implementing pilot projects that showcase the social, economic, and environmental viability of integrated sustainable urban solutions, serving as models for other Brazilian cities. The third aims to foster partnerships with financial institutions experienced in municipal investments to expand funding opportunities. Finally, the fourth component advances the development of a national knowledge platform for sustainable urban development.