Green and Thriving Public Spaces in Sapopemba, São Paulo-SP

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RfP)
Green and Thriving Public Spaces in Sapopemba, São Paulo-SP
C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, Inc.
120 Park Avenue, 23rd Floor
New York, NY 10017
United States of America
June 2026
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1. C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group Inc. (“C40”)
C40 is a network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities working to deliver the urgent action needed now to confront the climate crisis and create a future where everyone, everywhere can thrive. C40 city mayors are committed to a science-based, people-centered approach to limiting global warming in line with the Paris Agreement and building healthy, equitable, and resilient communities. We work alongside a broad coalition of representatives from labor, business, the youth climate movement, and civil society to support mayors in halving emissions by 2030 and helping to phase out fossil fuels, while increasing urban climate resilience and equity.
To learn more about C40’s work and our cities, visit our website or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
2. Project Summary, Objective, and Context
Project Vision: Nature as the foundation of thriving neighborhoods
The modern urban planning model, characterized by sprawl, car dependency, and the decline of green spaces, has left our cities ill-prepared to cope with the current climate reality. To address the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, C40 advocates for a transition to Green & Thriving Neighborhoods (GTN).
Building on the concept of the “15-minute city,” this vision replaces urban sprawl with compact, polycentric, and resource-efficient areas. This model is not just about proximity; it’s about creating nature-rich environments where green and blue infrastructure are integrated into public spaces. By reclaiming space from private vehicles and returning it to people and nature, cities can reduce emissions by up to 25% while dramatically improving local cooling, biodiversity, and community health and well-being.
Through the GTN program, C40 supports cities in reshaping their public spaces to function as the community’s “living rooms.” This holistic approach is built on four strategic pillars:
● Complete Neighborhoods: Promoting a polycentric city composed of compact, mixed-use neighborhoods with accessible amenities.
● Urban Nature and Climate Resilience: Integrating green spaces, water-sensitive design, and nature-based solutions to cool cities, reduce flood impacts, and improve physical and mental health.
● People-Centered Public Spaces and Mobility: Reclaiming streets and city spaces for people rather than cars, investing in vibrant, walkable environments that encourage active lifestyles, community interaction, and equitable access.
● Inclusive Communities: Embedding equity into urban planning and design, prioritizing underserved areas, engaging local residents in design and decision-making, and fostering community cohesion.
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Since 2021, C40’s Urban Nature Accelerator has supported 40 signatory cities worldwide, including São Paulo, in integrating blue and green spaces—such as urban forests, parks, and permeable surfaces—into the city to enhance climate resilience. By improving the number, quality, accessibility, and connectivity of these spaces, cities can protect vulnerable residents from climate impacts, support social cohesion and community well-being, create green jobs, and provide much-needed cooling for high-quality, walkable urban environments.
Project Scope: Technical Assistance and Direct Implementation
The objective of this Request for Proposal (RfP) is to put these principles into practice. Through a partnership between C40 and Mars, Incorporated, C40 is providing direct technical assistance to Bangkok, Bengaluru, London, Los Angeles, and São Paulo to create climate-resilient, nature-rich, and inclusive public spaces.
Using the Design Guide for Green & Thriving Public Spaces and Urban Nature as a guide, these pilot projects will demonstrate how inclusive urban greening can serve diverse populations—including residents and their pets—to increase resilience to climate risks and connect 10 million people to high-quality, green, and thriving public spaces.
In parallel, the city of São Paulo will receive a grant from Mars, through the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS(TM) program, for a dog park that will be integrated into the final transformation of a local public space in Sapopemba.
Project Context: Distri