Rede Nossa São Paulo (Our São Paulo Network), a non-partisan network that brings together 700 civil society organizations in the city of São Paulo, launched in 2012 a pioneering initiative in Brazil, the Sustainable Cities Programme (SCP). The programme´s 12 theme axes aims to raise awareness, mobilize and provide tools so Brazilian cities can develop in a way that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable, with the purpose of improving the living conditions of Brazilian municipalities aligned with the global changes. To achieve this goal, the programme provides public managers a Platform with various tools and urban sustainability indicators. More info at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v8CCvO7Tu4

To achieve its goal, the program provides public managers a full schedule of urban sustainability that addresses the different areas of public management, in 12 themes which incorporates in an integrated manner social, environmental, economic, political and cultural aspects; a set of indicators associated with this schedule and a bank of best practices with national and international cases as references examples to be pursued by municipalities, emphasizing public policies that already have good results in all areas of administration. All tools, including the Sustainable Public Management Guide (GPS), are met in the Sustainable Cities Programme Platform. The GPS Guide aims to contribute the training of municipal managers and civil society organizations in several Brazilian cities, to implement plans and indicators of goals that address sustainable development. The Platform is built based in open standards and free software technologies and the training programs are offered with no cost to municipalities and civil society organizations alike;Up to the present moment, 283 Brazilian municipalities have joined the Programme, including 22 capital cities, meaning a population of more than 67 million people which represents 33% of the national population, according to IBGE´s Projection. In 2012 there was election for the City Mayors in Brazil, when more than 650 candidates have signed the programme and more than 80 directories of political parties in the local, state and federal levels have also joined the ProgrammeIn this context, already within the municipal elections of 2016, the Sustainable Cities Programme entered a new stage, as the priority is the implementation and municipalization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Brazil. Thus, the Sustainable Cities Programme has recently launched the new Sustainable Cities Platform, incorporating the goals and indicators of Sustainable Development Goals, especially those that could be implemented at the local and regional level - precisely where local governments have the central role of this governance. It will be a great opportunity to influence the electoral process and sensitize the candidates to make commitments aligned with the SCP and SDGs, and concrete targets for sustainable development in cities. For this, the SCP establish civil society monitoring bases and launch a major campaign of mobilization and communication aimed at the government and the whole society. And seek firm commitments from candidates (as) and then the engagement of mayors (as) elected (as) with the new Platform of the Sustainable Cities Programme and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Strategically, SCP focuses on developing institutional capacities of the partners from local to national levels to enable them to practice good governance, participatory approach and decentralization. Along with the municipal staff, the stakeholders are citizens of communities, NGOs, enterprises, academic institutions and local/regional authorities who participate in a democratic planning and decision-making process. SCP combines a process with a product offering an excellent entry point for community participation through social mobilization. Among the various expected long term impacts we could include: a) Sustainability of the systems/institutions (community organizations/networks etc.) and services established at local community/municipal/regional level under support of the Project will be ensured so as not to lose the principles and value propagated by the SCP once the phase comes to an end. For it, integration of lessons learned into the municipal structure will be ensured through documentation, public discussion, resolution at city council and adoption of the mechanism promoted by the Project as the plan of goals. Also, policy dialogues will be held at municipal, regional and national level to advocate and contribute to the policy recommendations for the policy makers at each level; b) Institutional mechanisms at the local/municipal level to enhance local governance will be consolidated and strengthened; c) Community-based approach is integrated into the process of developing legislation based on the SCP will contribute to strengthen and successful implement of the SDGs and climate change plans locally;

Rede Nossa São Paulo (Our São Paulo Network), Rede Social Brasileira por Cidades Justas, Democráticas e Sustentáveis (Social Brazilian Network for Fair, Democratic and Sustainable Cities) and Instituto Ethos (Ethos Institute)