IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i13p6037-d1692388.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Climate Action for Decarbonization: The Case of a Subnational Government in Brazil

Author

Listed:
  • José Antônio Bertotti Júnior

    (Management Engineering Department, Center for Decision Systems and Information Development-CDSID, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. da Arquitetura, s/n, Cidade Universitária, Recife 50740-550, Brazil)

  • Ana Paula Cabral Seixas Costa

    (Management Engineering Department, Center for Decision Systems and Information Development-CDSID, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. da Arquitetura, s/n, Cidade Universitária, Recife 50740-550, Brazil)

Abstract

The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions must be accelerated. Countries that are signatories to the Paris Agreement must propose their nationally determined contributions and develop decarbonization strategies to achieve conditional targets. In this paper, we identify a gap between these strategies and the capacity of governments to execute them. We use design science to structure this problem and apply Value-Focused Thinking (VFT) methodology to identify strategic objectives and to define prioritization criteria for the proposed actions. We then combine this with the Soft System Methodology (SSM) to identify alternative means to achieve net zero. We identify some critical issues that have an impact on implementing decarbonization strategies: (a) the large number of proposed actions; (b) agents affected by decarbonization actions that are not under the control of the government responsible for managing the strategy; and (c) the level of readiness of available technologies and the economic conditions for their implementation. Thus, this paper presents (1) a process to support implementing decarbonization strategies (PIMADE); (2) a combined use of the VFT and SSM methodologies for structuring problems to organize decision objectives and to establish actions for implementing strategies; and (3) an application of the proposed process at the subnational governmental level in Brazil.

Suggested Citation

  • José Antônio Bertotti Júnior & Ana Paula Cabral Seixas Costa, 2025. "Climate Action for Decarbonization: The Case of a Subnational Government in Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-21, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:13:p:6037-:d:1692388
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/13/6037/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/13/6037/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Magdalena Wójcik-Jurkiewicz & Marzena Czarnecka & Grzegorz Kinelski & Beata Sadowska & Katarzyna Bilińska-Reformat, 2021. "Determinants of Decarbonisation in the Transformation of the Energy Sector: The Case of Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-22, February.
    2. Fathia Elleuch Lahyani, 2022. "Corporate board diversity and carbon disclosure: evidence from France," Accounting Research Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 35(6), pages 721-736, May.
    3. Luciana Oranges Cezarino & Marlon Fernandes Rodrigues Alves & Adriana Cristina Ferreira Caldana & Lara Bartocci Liboni, 2019. "Dynamic Capabilities for Sustainability: Revealing the Systemic Key Factors," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 93-112, February.
    4. Tejal Kanitkar & Akhil Mythri & T. Jayaraman, 2024. "Equity assessment of global mitigation pathways in the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(8), pages 1129-1148, September.
    5. Anne J. Sietsma & Rick W. Groenendijk & Robbert Biesbroek, 2023. "Progress on climate action: a multilingual machine learning analysis of the global stocktake," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(12), pages 1-12, December.
    6. Pedro R. R. Rochedo & Britaldo Soares-Filho & Roberto Schaeffer & Eduardo Viola & Alexandre Szklo & André F. P. Lucena & Alexandre Koberle & Juliana Leroy Davis & Raoni Rajão & Regis Rathmann, 2018. "The threat of political bargaining to climate mitigation in Brazil," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 8(8), pages 695-698, August.
    7. Ilaria Perissi & Aled Jones, 2022. "Investigating European Union Decarbonization Strategies: Evaluating the Pathway to Carbon Neutrality by 2050," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-20, April.
    8. Takeshi Kuramochi & Mark Roelfsema & Angel Hsu & Swithin Lui & Amy Weinfurter & Sander Chan & Thomas Hale & Andrew Clapper & Andres Chang & Niklas Höhne, 2020. "Beyond national climate action: the impact of region, city, and business commitments on global greenhouse gas emissions," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(3), pages 275-291, March.
    9. Danielle Costa Morais & Adiel Teixeira de Almeida & Luciana Hazin Alencar & Thárcylla Rebecca Negreiros Clemente & Ceres Zenaide Barbosa Cavalcanti, 2015. "PROMETHEE-ROC Model for Assessing the Readiness of Technology for Generating Energy," Mathematical Problems in Engineering, Hindawi, vol. 2015, pages 1-11, March.
    10. Franck Lecocq & Alain Nadaï & Christophe Cassen, 2022. "Getting models and modellers to inform deep decarbonization strategies," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(6), pages 695-710, July.
    11. Augusto Bianchini & Patricia Guarnieri & Jessica Rossi, 2022. "A Framework to Assess Social Indicators in a Circular Economy Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-21, June.
    12. Siskos, Pelopidas & Zazias, Georgios & Petropoulos, Apostolos & Evangelopoulou, Stavroula & Capros, Pantelis, 2018. "Implications of delaying transport decarbonisation in the EU: A systems analysis using the PRIMES model," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 48-60.
    13. Karen Turner & Antonios Katris & Julia Race, 2020. "The need for a Net Zero Principles Framework to support public policy at local, regional and national levels," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 35(7), pages 627-634, November.
    14. Grant J. Allan & David Waite & Graeme Roy, 2023. "A mission perspective on emissions reduction at the city level: the case of Glasgow, Scotland," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(8), pages 1033-1044, September.
    15. Dirk Arne Heyen & Michael Wicki, 2024. "Increasing public support for climate policy proposals: a research agenda on governable acceptability factors," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(6), pages 785-794, July.
    16. Hermano Bernardo & Adélio Gaspar & Carlos Henggeler Antunes, 2018. "A Combined Value Focused Thinking-Soft Systems Methodology Approach to Structure Decision Support for Energy Performance Assessment of School Buildings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-19, July.
    17. Slimane Ed‐Dafali & Zahra Adardour & Atar Derj & Adil Bami & Khaled Hussainey, 2025. "A PRISMA‐Based Systematic Review on Economic, Social, and Governance Practices: Insights and Research Agenda," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(2), pages 1896-1916, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Adam Dominiak & Artur Rusowicz, 2022. "Change of Fossil-Fuel-Related Carbon Productivity Index of the Main Manufacturing Sectors in Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-14, September.
    2. Fábio T. F. Silva & Alexandre Szklo & Amanda Vinhoza & Ana Célia Nogueira & André F. P. Lucena & Antônio Marcos Mendonça & Camilla Marcolino & Felipe Nunes & Francielle M. Carvalho & Isabela Tagomori , 2022. "Inter-sectoral prioritization of climate technologies: insights from a Technology Needs Assessment for mitigation in Brazil," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 27(7), pages 1-39, October.
    3. Katris, Antonios & Turner, Karen, 2021. "Can different approaches to funding household energy efficiency deliver on economic and social policy objectives? ECO and alternatives in the UK," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    4. López, Luis-Antonio & Arce, Guadalupe & Cadarso, María-Ángeles & Ortiz, Mateo & Zafrilla, Jorge, 2023. "The global dissemination to multinationals of the carbon emissions ruling on Shell," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 406-416.
    5. Konstantinos Koasidis & Anastasios Karamaneas & Alexandros Nikas & Hera Neofytou & Erlend A. T. Hermansen & Kathleen Vaillancourt & Haris Doukas, 2020. "Many Miles to Paris: A Sectoral Innovation System Analysis of the Transport Sector in Norway and Canada in Light of the Paris Agreement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-37, July.
    6. Verdone, Alessio & Scardapane, Simone & Panella, Massimo, 2024. "Explainable Spatio-Temporal Graph Neural Networks for multi-site photovoltaic energy production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 353(PB).
    7. Géremi Gilson Dranka & Paula Ferreira, 2020. "Electric Vehicles and Biofuels Synergies in the Brazilian Energy System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-22, August.
    8. Ju-Hee Kim & Young-Kuk Kim & Seung-Hoon Yoo, 2023. "Does Proximity to a Power Plant Affect Housing Property Values of a City in South Korea? An Empirical Investigation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-14, February.
    9. Adhitya Nugraha & Hermanto Siregar & Idqan Fahmi & Zenal Asikin & Dikky Indrawan & Harianto Harianto & Salis Aprilian, 2024. "Identification of Factors Affecting Net Zero Emission Level in Indonesia," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 14(5), pages 203-210, September.
    10. Blanco, Herib & Gómez Vilchez, Jonatan J. & Nijs, Wouter & Thiel, Christian & Faaij, André, 2019. "Soft-linking of a behavioral model for transport with energy system cost optimization applied to hydrogen in EU," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    11. Grzegorz Kinelski & Jakub Stęchły & Piotr Bartkowiak, 2022. "Various Facets of Sustainable Smart City Management: Selected Examples from Polish Metropolitan Areas," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-23, April.
    12. Maliyamu Abudureheman & Qingzhe Jiang & Xiucheng Dong & Cong Dong, 2022. "CO 2 Emissions in China: Does the Energy Rebound Matter?," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-25, June.
    13. Debora Sotto & Arlindo Philippi & Tan Yigitcanlar & Md Kamruzzaman, 2019. "Aligning Urban Policy with Climate Action in the Global South: Are Brazilian Cities Considering Climate Emergency in Local Planning Practice?," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-31, September.
    14. Lin Wang & Yuping Xing, 2022. "Risk Assessment of a Coupled Natural Gas and Electricity Market Considering Dual Interactions: A System Dynamics Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-18, December.
    15. Stergios Statharas & Yannis Moysoglou & Pelopidas Siskos & Pantelis Capros, 2021. "Simulating the Evolution of Business Models for Electricity Recharging Infrastructure Development by 2030: A Case Study for Greece," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-24, April.
    16. Fathia Elleuch Lahyani & Salma Damak Ayadi, 2025. "Innovation capital disclosure and independent directors: evidence from France," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(1), pages 125-139, March.
    17. Joanna Toborek-Mazur & Karol Partacz & Marcin Surówka, 2022. "Energy Security as a Premise for Mergers and Acquisitions on the Example of the Multi-Energy Concern PKN Orlen in the Face of the Challenges of the 2020s," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-28, July.
    18. Nadeem Bari & Ranga Chimhundu & Ka Ching Chan, 2024. "Interrelation between Sustainable Dynamic Capabilities, Corporate Sustainability, and Sustained Competitive Advantage," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-31, March.
    19. Conceição, Katyanne V. & Chaves, Michel E.D. & Picoli, Michelle C.A. & Sánchez, Alber H. & Soares, Anderson R. & Mataveli, Guilherme A.V. & Silva, Daniel E. & Costa, Joelma S. & Camara, Gilberto, 2021. "Government policies endanger the indigenous peoples of the Brazilian Amazon," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    20. Piotr W. Saługa & Krzysztof Zamasz & Zdzisława Dacko-Pikiewicz & Katarzyna Szczepańska-Woszczyna & Marcin Malec, 2021. "Risk-Adjusted Discount Rate and Its Components for Onshore Wind Farms at the Feasibility Stage," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-12, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:13:p:6037-:d:1692388. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.