Osmany Porto de Oliveira (Federal University of São Paulo)

Climate change is one of the most complex and pressing issues of our time. Global public policies designed to mitigate climate instability and assist society in adapting are embedded within a multifaceted transnational architecture. Key components of this architecture include the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. A notable paradox in global climate policies is that, while climate change is a global risk, its impacts are felt locally. This creates political tension between local governments and national or international authorities, particularly within the United Nations system. Cities contend that although national and international bodies formulate and deliberate on global climate policies, local authorities are on the front lines, dealing with the consequences of extreme climate events. In response, local governments have been active on multiple fronts: advocating for greater involvement in global climate discussions and sharing best practices on urban climate policies among cities. This presentation examines the role of the Brazilian government and its cities in the realm of transnational urban climate policymaking.

Osmany Porto de Oliveira is Tenured Assistant Professor in the International Relations Department at the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp) and coordinator of the International Public Policies Laboratory (Laboppi). He holds a PhD in Political Science, from the University of Sorbonne Nouvelle – Paris III (2015) and a PhD from the University of São Paulo (2013). His research centers on policy transfer, development cooperation, international organizations, democracy and climate change. He received different international awards, such as the Early Career Award of the International Public Policy Association – IPPA (2019) and the Annual Best Comparative Article Award from the Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis (2023). His main books are: Brazil and China in Knowledge and Policy Transfer (Palgrave, 2022), with G. Romano; Handbook of Policy Transfer, Diffusion and Circulation (Edward Elgar, 2021); Latin America and Policy Diffusion (Routledge, 2020), with C. Osorio, S. Montero and C. Leite; International Policy Diffusion and Participatory Budgeting (Palgrave, 2017). He is also Associate Editor of Policy Sciences and member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Policy and Politics.