Political Leadership for Sustainability: report and learning from an executive course for parliamentarians

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.2164122411066

• Palavras-chave: Executive Course, Sustainability, Climate Change.

• Keywords: Executive Course, Sustainability, Climate Change.

• Abstract:

  In February 2022, the Political Action Network for Sustainability (RAPS), the European Union Diálogos and the Insper Public Policy and Management Center (CGPP) held an executive course on sustainability and climate change for political leaders of the National Congress affiliated to different parties, identified with different ideological lines and representatives from all regions of the country. Held at Insper over three consecutive days, the course aimed to enable participating parliamentarians to understand their role in implementing commitment solutions set out in the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement, with the main objective of combating climate change in the Brazil. The initiative was especially necessary given the social, political and environmental context we see in Brazil: the country is today the fifth largest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the world, and has been recording a 9.5% growth in emissions in recent years, being driven mainly by successive deforestation and burning practices. This context shows how Brazil is going against global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
  The country's transition to a low-carbon economy is urgent, and this change is not possible without the engagement and commitment on the part of the National Congress. The National Congress has the important capacity to propose laws, measures and actions that can worsen or mitigate this situation, since environmental legislation necessarily requires a vote from parliamentarians.

  Given the urgency of the subject and the diversity of the target audience, we discussed and adopted a teaching and learning methodology that sought to equalize knowledge and promote constructive debates among parliamentarians in the classroom, in person and in interaction with international experts who conducted remote classes. Therefore, after completing the course, we jointly carried out a critical analysis of the positive results and opportunities for improvement of the course, already published which serves as the basis for this work, with the aim of contributing to other institutions and Government Schools that have audiences and challenges similar to ours.