The City of Cubatão held on Tuesday (31st) the 1st Municipal Conference on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), held at the Dr. José Edgard da Silva Cultural Center, consolidating an important space for social mobilization, cross-sector dialogue and collective building around the 2030 Agenda. With the motto "The Sustainable Cubatão we want is built with people," the meeting was part of the preparatory stage for the National SDG Conference, which will take place in Brasília between June 29 and July 2. Established by Decree No. 12,288, of February 26 of this year, the conference had as its central theme the strengthening of democracy and human rights as the basis for a new model of sustainable development.
The conference was marked by broad participation from civil society, academic institutions, social movements, the productive sector and citizens, promoting qualified debates across six strategic axes: Democracy and strong institutions; Environmental sustainability; Social inclusion and combating inequalities; Technological innovation; Participatory governance; and Multi-sector collaboration and financing of the 2030 Agenda.
Mayor César Nascimento highlighted the importance of the 1st Municipal SDG Conference as a milestone for strengthening the sustainability agenda in Cubatão. He emphasized the signing of a Technical Cooperation Agreement with the Federal Government as one of the main results of the event, especially in advancing initiatives related to the carbon credit market.
The head of Cubatão's executive power also emphasized the municipality's leadership role in the environmental agenda, recalling Cubatão's participation in international debates, such as COP30, and the building of concrete solutions that are now beginning to generate practical results. According to him, the municipality is preparing to transform environmental assets, such as mangroves and vegetation areas, into opportunities for sustainable development and resource generation.
"Today we take a very important step with the holding of the conference and the signing of the technical cooperation agreement with the Federal Government, which opens the way for us to advance on strategic issues such as carbon credits." He also reinforced the city's role as a reference in the collective building of public policies, highlighting the involvement of municipal departments, institutions and the population to consolidate Cubatão as a protagonist in its own history.
Nascimento believes that Cubatão is consolidating itself as a protagonist in the SDG agenda. "This is the fruit of serious work that has already led us to participate in international debates and now is beginning to generate concrete results for the municipality. With carbon credits, we will be able to transform our preserved areas, such as mangroves and forests, into opportunities for sustainable development, attracting investments and generating benefits for the city. Cubatão has always been a resilient city, and now we are building, together with society, a new chapter, being protagonists of our own history."
After the voting on proposals, the election was held for delegates who will represent Cubatão at the national stage in Brasília during the National SDG Conference, which will take place between June 29 and July 2, reinforcing the municipality's presence in the national debate.
Federal Government Representative – The conference also had the participation of the Executive Secretary of the Presidency of the Republic, Lavito Baccarissa, who highlighted the innovative character of the process carried out in Cubatão and its relevance to the country. Baccarissa said that the conferential process that Cubatão held today is a milestone for Brazil and for the sustainable development agenda.
We need to translate the 2030 Agenda into the reality of people, as an agenda to combat inequality, hunger and exclusion, territorializing actions and building, starting from the municipalities, a concrete plan for transformation by 2030. The representative of the Federal Government also emphasized the importance of integrating public authorities, the productive sector and academia, in addition to strengthening the role of municipalities in implementing public policies aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
The administration's commitment to the 2030 Agenda, academic contribution and regional challenges were highlighted at the event. During the opening, Dr. Andrea Castro – Secretary of Housing, SDG Coordinator and President of the Municipal Council, highlighted the historical importance of the initiative.
```"Today is a very special and emotional day for all of us, with the realization of our first Municipal Conference on the Sustainable Development Goals, a milestone for Cubatão". She emphasized that the UN's 2030 Agenda has become part of our planning since the Government program, structured based on the SDG pillars, which demonstrates the administration's commitment to sustainable public policies. "We brought the SDGs to the center of administration, integrating the office and all secretariats, with the fundamental support of Mayor César Nascimento".
Another highlight of the event was the participation of the rector of the Catholic University of Santos, Prof. Dr. Cléber Ferrão Corrêa, who brought important reflections on the social challenges of the region, especially in the areas of housing and sustainable urban development.
The rector highlighted the significant housing deficit in the Santos Metropolitan Area and the impacts of disorderly urban growth, as well as reinforcing the importance of integration between academic knowledge and public policy formulation. He also valued innovative initiatives developed in the municipality, such as housing projects adapted to local reality, and research focused on the Sustainable Development Goals.
"We are facing a significant housing deficit in our region and we need to reflect on the advance of vertical construction. Where are these people going? This is an urgent challenge that requires concrete and integrated solutions. Twenty-five years ago, at the beginning of my academic career, I experienced extremely difficult situations in vulnerable communities. Today, looking back, the question that remains is: what, in fact, has changed in this period?
The floating houses project is an initiative of great relevance, which we have already used as an international case study in environmental law. It shows that it is possible to innovate and propose sustainable alternatives to historical problems", the rector concluded.
Qualified debates and representativeness – The special coordinator of the SDGs, Sandra Regina Fonseca de Godoi, stressed the quality of the debates and social mobilization. "Today was a memorable day for our municipality. We held a conference with expressive and diverse participation, bringing together civil society, academia and social movements around a common goal: to build sustainable solutions for our territory. The debates were extremely qualified, especially in the afternoon, when we deepened six strategic pillars fundamental to the formulation of permanent public policies. We left this meeting more strengthened and with guaranteed representativeness for the national stage".
Technical cooperation agreement and climate agenda – One of the main milestones of the event was the signing of the Technical Cooperation Agreement (ACT), aimed at structuring initiatives related to the carbon credit market. The municipal secretary of Environment, Climate Security and Animal Welfare, Cleiton Jordão Santos, highlighted the impact of the initiative: "This technical cooperation agreement represents a fundamental step for Cubatão to advance in the structuring of projects linked to the carbon credit market. We are placing the municipality in a strategic context, connected to national and international discussions on climate change and sustainability. It is an opportunity to develop concrete projects, attract investments and strengthen Cubatão's environmental agenda". The secretary emphasized the importance of participatory governance. "The creation and operation of the Council are essential, as they guarantee the participation of civil society alongside public authorities in the construction of permanent public policies."
Municipal Council and governance and Accession to the SDG Cubatão Movement – During the conference, the Municipal Council of the Sustainable Development Goals was sworn in, now counting 84 members, with 44 full members and 40 alternates, plus three vacancies. The collegium brings together representatives from public authorities, teaching and research institutions, professional councils, the productive sector and organized civil society, strengthening the governance of the 2030 Agenda in the municipality. The event also marked the expansion of the SDG Cubatão Movement, with the accession of various institutions, companies and civil society organizations, among them:
Mentoring Soullutions Humanized Solutions Ltd.; Filhos de Ganga Zumba Cultural Association; ABC Marbas; Collective 302; RCF Sports/Marina Andrade; Guatá Institute; Association of Residents of Pinheiro do Miranda and Fabril; Soroptimist of Cubatão; Link Technology; A.O.S Morro do Índio; Zanzalá – Arzanza Artistic Association; CTM Usinagem Ltd.; Association of Environmental Monitors of Pinheiro do Miranda; MFG; Cubatão Creative Hands Association (Amacri); Municipal Council on Women's Condition; Municipal Education Council; Menino Felipe House Association (ACAMEFE); CACS FUNDEB; State School of Minas Gerais; and Our Lady of Fátima State School.
```htmlResults and next steps – As a result of the debates, priority proposals were approved, one in each thematic axis — which will be forwarded to the national stage and will also serve as a basis for improving public policies in the municipality. The program also included reading and approval of internal regulations, simultaneous debates, voting on proposals and moments of integration among participants. The conference ensured broad participation and diversity, consolidating itself as an essential democratic space for advancing a fairer, more inclusive and sustainable development model in Cubatão.
The Cubatão City Hall is aligned with the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This initiative integrates the path proposed for implementing the 2030 Agenda: SDG 1 – eradication of poverty; SDG 2 – zero hunger and sustainable agriculture; SDG 3 – health and well-being; SDG 4 – quality education; SDG 5 – gender equality; SDG 6 – clean water and sanitation; SDG 7 – affordable clean energy; SDG 8 – decent work and economic growth; SDG 9 – industry, innovation and infrastructure; SDG 10 – reduced inequalities; SDG 11 – sustainable cities and communities; SDG 12 – responsible consumption and production; SDG 13 – climate action; SDG 14 – life below water; SDG 15 – life on land; SDG 16 – peace, justice and strong institutions; SDG 17 – partnerships for the goals; SDG 18 – ethnic-racial equality; SDG 19 – art, culture and communication.
```
