Scholarships for 20 sustainability young leaders

Dear Family/Donors,

What do our graduate students learn? What kind of work do they develop along the way?

Our school is based on diversity and multidisciplinarity. Therefore, we welcome students from all backgrounds to join our graduate classes.

Because we address broad topics such as sustainability, which is one of the themes of our program, the student´s final projects offer diverse and innovative perspectives on solving today's socio-environmental challenges.

This week, we are holding the first defenses for the class of 2023, which marks the end of the master cycle for these students. We share here some of the topics presented, as an illustration of the commitment, creativity, and search for solutions we find among our students.

Themes for the Class of 2023 – Master's Degree Projects in Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development:

 SUCCESSFUL AGROECOLOGY EXPERIENCES IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF RIO DE JANEIRO

In this project, our student investigated several experiences of adopting agroecological systems in Rio de Janeiro, evaluating the successes and failures of four experiences. As a result of this professional master's degree and the research conducted, part of the content was used to create the ebook "Agroecology Experiences in the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro," featuring introductory texts on agroecology and reports on the four experiences, showcasing the journeys of people and organizations that make agroecology a reality in the region today, as well as photos and videos that illustrate the written information.

PODCASTS AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION TOOL: RAISING AWARENESS OF OCEAN CULTURE AND OCEAN CONSERVATION THROUGH AFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

In this dissertation, our student developed and recorded a podcast episode addressing marine conservation topics and then interviewed listeners to gather their perceptions, needs, and assessments. The goal was to draw attention to an environment that is underexplored in this type of media and little known to the lay public. The results demonstrated that the format generated interest in the topic, and listeners generally would like more podcasts about the environment and interviews with  researchers working in this field.

HOW BRAZILIAN CITIES ARE BUILDING THEIR CLIMATE ACTION PLANS

This study aims to evaluate the Climate Action Plans (CAPs) prepared by Brazilian municipalities in light of the Climate Change Institutional Assessment (CCIA) framework, developed by the World Bank and adapted here for the subnational context. The research is based on the observation that, although CAPs are being increasingly adopted as a tool to address climate change at the local level, little is known about their institutional quality, their implementation capacity, and their alignment with principles such as climate governance, socio-environmental justice,and intersectoral integration.

The results reveal significant disparities among the plans, notably the absence of formal governance structures, poor financing allocation, and limited inclusion of actions focused on climate justice. Based on these findings, the study proposes guidelines for improving PLACs, including institutionalization through legislation, strengthening social participation, and integration with urban public policies. The applied methodology represents a unique contribution to the field of local climate governance in Brazil.

We couldn't be more proud of our students' contribution to the socio-environmental area in Brazil! Thank you for being with us and helping to produce knowledge and awareness in favor of the diversity of life.

Please, write me if you have any questions or wish more information - ipe.cristi.martins@gmail.com

 All the Best

Cristiana