This study analyzes the road freight sector of São Paulo state to identify the best options to reduce greenhouse gases emissions and local pollutants, such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons. Additionally, the investment cost of each vehicle is also analyzed. Results show that electric options, including hybrid, battery, and hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles represent the best options to reduce pollutants and greenhouse gases emissions concomitantly, but considerable barriers for their deployment are still in place. With little long-term planning on the state level, electrification of the transport system, in combination with increased renewable electricity generation, would require considerable financial support to achieve the desired emissions reductions without increasing energy insecurity.

The São Paulo Macro Metropolis (SPMM) is one of the richest and most inequitable regions of the Global South and is already experiencing the impacts of severe climate events. This study analyzes climate risk assessments and policy responses for this territory as well as its vulnerabilities. The Index of Vulnerability to Natural Disasters related to Droughts in the Context of Climate Change (IVDNS—acronym in Portuguese) was used to identify and select the most vulnerable municipalities in the SPMM. Following vulnerability analysis, the municipalities were subjected to risk analysis in the context of existing Brazilian legislation. The results indicate that, despite having positive capacities to respond to climate change, the analyzed municipalities are far from advancing from the status quo or taking the actions that are necessary to face future challenges in a climate emergency scenario. The results indicate that, despite being the most vulnerable to droughts and natural disasters, the cities analyzed are not the most vulnerable in the São Paulo Macro Metropolis from a socio-economic point of view. On the contrary, these are regions that could have a strong institutional capacity to respond to present and future challenges.

Neste artigo a transição energética é tratada sob a perspectiva da descentralização da gestão energética. Em linhas gerais, essa transformação pode estar relacionada à diversificação da matriz energética, ao empoderamento dos diversos atores sociais e dos governos estaduais e municipais na gestão e planejamento energético das cidades, e isso inclui desde projetos de conservação e de eficiência energética para todos os setores econômicos, até uma maior transparência governamental e engajamento da população no planejamento das cidades. À luz da experiência internacional na gestão energética descentralizada este trabalho analisa as possibilidades de sua implementação no contexto das cidades brasileiras.

This paper analyzes the historical trends in the energy supply and demand for the Macrometrópole Paulista Energy System, as well as the existing options for harnessing the renewable energy potential of the region. The research included a case study covering the 174 municipalities that belong to the macro-metropolis to characterize the energy system from 2006 to 2017 while analyzing the CO2 emissions of the system. The results indicated that, in 2017, the Paulista macro-metropolis accounted for 73% of the total energy demand of the entire state of São Paulo. Moreover, considering the energy generated from within the administrative limits of the 174 municipalities, the macro-metropolis accounted for about 17% of the total installed capacity of the state for electricity generation. This study found that the installed capacity for electricity generation in the region can be increased by ~ 112%. There so, an understanding of the local energy systems is of utmost importance for the formulation of coherent and integrated public policies, which are necessary to cope with the effects of climate change.