São Paulo appears to have stolen a march not just on every other city in Brazil, but also on the government, with its municipal Climate Law. Passed unanimously on June 5 this year, it sets out ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, manage waste and promote sustainability in everything from construction to transportation.

“We consider global warming the most serious social, economic and environmental problem that humanity has yet faced and that the poorest countries are the worst affected,” Eduardo Jorge, Municipal Environment Secretary for São Paulo, told the Financial Times.