Join us at the conference ‘Cities Leading the Way Towards Climate Neutrality’
The conference “Cities Leading the Way Towards Climate Neutrality” is the first international event organized by Cities for Climate and serves as a privileged platform to discuss the role of cities in the transition to climate neutrality, as well as the challenges faced in developing and implementing climate action plans.
Cities for Climate is a collaborative initiative that brings together Portuguese cities and regions with the common goal of accelerating the transition to climate neutrality, aligning with the European Mission “100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030, by and for the citizens.”
The conference is co-organized with the Matosinhos City Council and, following its closing session, includes the official inauguration of the VERDE PERTO exhibition, dedicated to carbon neutrality and curated by Joana Maia Dias.
Spaces for in-person participation are limited. Participation is subject to completing the form below and subsequent confirmation via email.
📍 Location: Matosinhos – Fábrica Vasco da Gama
📅 Date: March 24, 20
🕒 Time: 09:30 AM – 6:00 PM
💻 Format: In-person – limited availabity
Check the program here
Welcome
Manuela Álvares is a Councillor of the Matosinhos City Council, responsible for the departments of Environment, Energy Transition, Public Space, Housing and Municipal Works. She also serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of MatosinhosHabit EM, Member of the Board of Directors of LIPOR – Intermunicipal Waste Management Service of Greater Porto and Vice-President of the Porto Energy Agency.
She was a Member of the Board of Directors of the Health Regulatory Entity (2018-2021) and Member of the Board of Directors of DomusSocial EM (2013-2017).
She holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Minho and a postgraduate degree in Public Regulation and Competition from the University of Coimbra (2021). Currently, she is a doctoral student in Planning at FEUP, 2014, and in Bioethics at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, 2020.
Opening Session
Ricardo Rio is the Mayor of Braga (since 2013), President of the General Assembly of Cidades pelo Clima, President of the Executive Council of the Intermunicipal Community of Cávado, President of the Executive Committee of the Global Parliament of Mayors and leads the Boards of Directors of the municipal companies Theatro Circo and InvestBraga. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of EUROCITIES, the Committee of the Regions and the board of the ATP – Porto Tourism Association.
He was Secretary-General of the Portuguese Association of Financial Analysts and Director of the Capital Market Institute of Euronext Lisbon.
In parallel, he developed extensive activity as a consultant in public and private entities, including Porto Business School, Casa da Música and Fundação Cidade de Guimarães, in addition to collaborating with several municipalities and institutions. He was a university professor at several institutions, such as Universidade Fernando Pessoa and ISAG. He holds a degree in Economics from the Faculty of Economics of Porto, where he also completed the curricular part of the Master’s in Economics. He also completed the Advanced Course in Political Studies at the Institute of Political Studies of the Catholic University of Lisbon.
The role of Cities in Climate Neutrality
Paulo Ferrão is a member of the Council of the EU Mission: Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, where he also serves as President of the Council. Full Professor at the Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) of the University of Lisbon, he was awarded the title of Distinguished Professor in 2021. He chairs IN+, Center for Studies in Innovation, Technology and Development Policies. Between 2016 and 2019, he was President of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and, from 1996 to 2016, he directed the MIT Portugal Program. In addition, he served as President of the COST association – European Cooperation in Science and Technology (2019-2021) and was a member of the board of the European association EUREKA (2019-2023).
His scientific career covers areas such as energy systems, industrial ecology and waste management. He has developed activity in the area of sustainable cities, being co-author of the book Sustainable Urban Metabolism, published by MIT Press. He participated in several international projects, including collaborations with the U.S. National Academies and the Asian Development Bank, contributing to the publication Urban Metabolism of Six Asian Cities.
Panel:
National Cities Platforms – Upscaling the 100 Climate Neutral Cities Mission
Maria Rodrigues is Executive Coordinator of Cidades pelo Clima, researcher and member of the Scientific Council of IN+, Center for Studies in Innovation, Technology and Research Policies, and holds a doctorate in Industrial Engineering and Management from Instituto Superior Técnico, with part of the research carried out at Carnegie Mellon University (USA).
She has worked in private companies, was President of APISOLAR, consultant at ADENE and Technical and Financial Director of Lisboa E-Nova. She was also advisor to the Secretaries of State for the Environment and Energy and for Energy and Climate in the XXIII Portuguese Government.
Panel:
National Cities Platforms – Upscaling the 100 Climate Neutral Cities Mission
Olga Kordas is Associate Professor in Sustainable Urban Development at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. Since 2017, she has been Director of Viable Cities, Sweden’s national strategic innovation program for climate-neutral and sustainable cities. Currently, 48 Swedish cities, representing 50% of the country’s population, are part of the program. Viable Cities is a pioneering initiative in mission-oriented innovation and actively contributes to European projects such as NetZeroCities, Driving Urban Transitions Partnership and CapaCities within the EU Cities Mission.
Panel:
National Cities Platforms – Upscaling the 100 Climate Neutral Cities Mission
Julio Lumbreras, PhD, Eng, MPA, is a Full Professor at the Technical University of Madrid (UPM). He is currently part of the NetZeroCities consortium, coordinating the multi-stakeholder platform for the implementation of the mission in Spain (citiES 2030).
He was a member of the EU Mission Board: Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, He is a founding associate editor of the Journal on Frontiers in Sustainable Cities and co-author of more than 100 articles and books on air quality, climate change, sustainable cities and higher education. Passionate about sustainability in higher education, he advocates the role of universities as key agents in the systemic transformation of cities towards sustainability.
Panel:
National Cities Platforms – Upscaling the 100 Climate Neutral Cities Mission
Francisco Gonçalves is Team Lead and Project Manager at Energy Cities, where he coordinates a diverse portfolio of projects funded by the European Union, promoting climate neutrality at the local level.
With over 15 years of experience in urban sustainable energy, he acts as City Advisor for NetZeroCities, supporting Portuguese and Spanish cities in achieving their climate goals. In addition, he coordinates the European City Facility, a leading European initiative that offers financial and technical support to cities in the climate transition process
Panel:
Climate Neutrality in Mission Cities
Daniel Freitas is the Director for Carbon Neutrality of Porto, responsible for managing several climate neutrality projects in the city, namely the Porto Climate Pact. He is also the city coordinator of Porto in the EU Mission: Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities.
He was Deputy to the Vice-President of the Porto City Council, with responsibilities in the departments of Environment and Climate Transition and Innovation and Digital Transition.
He is a lecturer in several study cycles at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Porto. He holds a Postgraduate in Business Management from Porto Business School (PBS) and a Master’s in Computer Engineering and Computation from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP)
Panel:
Climate Neutrality in Mission Cities
Sofia Ribeiro has been Councillor for the Environment and Climate Action of Guimarães since 2021. She is Vice-President of the Board of Directors of the Landscape Laboratory and President of the Board of Directors of the TAIPAS TURITERMAS Cooperative since 2021. She is also President of the General Assembly of the Adapt.local Association – Network of Municipalities for Local Adaptation to Climate Change, and a member of the Executive Board of the Guimarães Mission Unit for the European Green Capital 2026.
A native of Guimarães, she graduated in International Relations (Cultural and Political) from the University of Minho in 1993 and holds a Postgraduate degree in Public Administration from the University of Minho in 2001, with a Master in Public Administration from the Catholic University of Porto in 2011.
Panel:
Climate Neutrality in Mission Cities
Mar Jiménez Carreté is Commissioner for European Affairs of the Barcelona City Council, leading initiatives that connect local governments to European institutions, including the EU Mission: Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities and the Mayors for Housing initiative. She also contributes opinion articles to the newspaper La Vanguardia, addressing urban and European policy issues.
Previously, she was Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Barcelona, where she defined international and green transition strategies, and Senior Coordinator of NetZeroCities at Eurocities, supporting cities in the transition to climate neutrality.
She holds a degree in Economics from the University of Barcelona and a degree in Communication from Universitat Ramon Llull, completed doctoral studies in Economics and trained at ESADE and INSEAD.
Panel:
Climate Neutrality in Mission Cities
Alejandro G. Pellitero is Councillor for the Environment of the Valladolid City Council, Chairman of the Board of Directors of AQUAVALL (municipal water cycle management company) and Chairman of the Board of Directors of NEVASA (municipal company responsible for the cemeteries of Valladolid).
With over 15 years of experience in the economic sector, he was a member of the Executive Committees of the Valladolid Chamber of Commerce and the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE) in Valladolid.
His career reflects a strong commitment to public service and the economic development of the region.
Panel:
Climate Neutrality in Mission Cities
Sofia Cordeiro is Coordinator of Local Climate Action at ADENE – Energy Agency, where she is the focal point for the National Coordination of the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy in Portugal.
She started at ADENE in 2022 to coordinate the Working Groups and Studies during ADENE’s term as President of the European Energy Network. Previously, she served as advisor to the Councillor for Environment, Climate and Energy of the Lisbon City Council, accompanying the definition of strategic policies for efficiency in water and energy management.
She was a project manager at the Ministry of Education for the Technological Plan for Education (2008-2011) and worked in information technology in multinationals such as Critical Software (2011-2012), Gfi (2017) and in a startup accelerator, the Lisbon Challenge (2013-2015).
.
Panel:
The Role of Industry on Cities Decarbonisation
Rui Ferreira has been Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Super Bock Group since 2015, having previously served as Vice-Chairman (2013-2015) and CFO (2006-2015). He is currently a member of the General and Supervisory Board of Porto Business School and the Board of Directors of APGEI. Since May 2023, he has also been President of Cervejeiros de Portugal, a position he had already held between 2015 and 2018.
Before the Super Bock Group, he was CFO of Vista Alegre Atlantis (2004-2006) and was part of BPI (1986-2006), where he held positions in Corporate Finance, Corporate Banking and Venture Capital. In the venture capital sector, he was a non-executive member of several boards of directors, including Altitude Software, ParaRede, SIC and Vista Alegre.
He holds a degree in Economics from FEP, with a postgraduate degree in Financial Analysis from the same institution, and has additional training at INSEAD and Harvard Business School.
Panel:
The Role of Industry on Cities Decarbonisation
Miguel Gil Mata is a member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Executive Committee of Sonae Capital Industrials and Non-Executive Director of Sonae Arauco.
In 2004, he joined the Sonae group, assuming various roles over the years, both at Sonae Industrials and, more recently, at Sonae Capital. He began his career as a consultant, focused on optimizing industrial processes, before joining the energy sector. He lived and worked in Mozambique for two years, at the Cahora Bassa Dam, deepening his experience in the water area. Upon returning to Portugal, he joined Alstom, where he participated in hydroelectric production projects.
He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, complemented his training with an MBA from Porto Business School – UP, and the Advanced Management Program from Harvard Business School.
Panel:
Climate Finance Instruments for Cities
João Fonseca Santos currently holds the position of Head of the EIB Group Representation Office in Portugal.
He joined the European Investment Bankin 2014, starting in the monitoring and restructuring department. In 2017, he moved to the team responsible for new operations in Portugal and, in 2021, became advisor to Vice-President Ricardo Mourinho Félix, focusing on institutional, strategic, governance and operational issues and providing support in areas such as the Blue Economy, Financing and Treasury, Multiannual Financial Framework and institutional relations in Portugal, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Latin America and the Caribbean. Before joining the EIB, he worked in Private Equity and Corporate Finance in Portugal, where he started his career in 2008. He holds a Master’s degree in Finance and a Bachelor’s degree in Management from Nova School of Business and Economics in Lisbon.
Panel:
Climate Neutrality in Mission Cities
Giorgia Rambelli is Director of the Innovation Urban Transitions Mission at the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM).
With over 13 years of experience in the areas of Climate and Energy, she has supported governments in developing sound policies and plans based on scientific data to address the challenges of climate change.
Previously, she coordinated climate policy and energy governance at the European secretariat of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability. At GCoM, she led global-regional coordination, supporting partners in the implementation of the organization’s mission and vision.
Giorgia has solid experience in international urban diplomacy and has coordinated the Coordination Unit of the International Urban Cooperation program.
Panel:
Climate Neutrality in Mission Cities
Maurício Rodas is a Visiting Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches climate finance for cities, a Senior Advisor at the Atlantic Council, leading the City Champions for Heat Action initiative, and a member of various international bodies, including the United Nations Committee of Experts on Public Administration and the Global Commission on Urban Financing of the SDGs (SDSN).
He was Mayor of Quito (Ecuador) between 2014 and 2019, during which time he hosted the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Urban Development – Habitat III. During his term, he was World Co-President of UCLG, Vice-President of C40 Cities and a member of the board of the Global Covenant of Mayors and ICLEI.
Founder and CEO of Meridio Consulting, he has worked with cities on five continents. He has been recognized as one of the 100 most influential global leaders in climate action.”
Panel:
Climate Finance Instruments for Cities
Ana Fountoura Gouveia is Head of Sustainability at Banco de Portugal and Visiting Professor at Nova School of Business and Economics.
In 2023 and early 2024, she was Secretary of State for Energy and Climate of Portugal. Between 2019 and 2022, she was Chief Economist in the Prime Minister’s Office. Previously, she worked in the Research Department of Banco de Portugal, in the Research Departments of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Economy, at the European Central Bank and at Banco de Portugal.
Ana holds a PhD in Economics from Nova SBE and conducted part of the research at the Toulouse School of Economics and the University of Liège.
Panel:
Climate Finance Instruments for Cities
José Mota Leal has been working at AIEL – Association for Innovation and Entrepreneurship of Lisbon since 2017, since then assuming the management of the Beato Innovation District project, one of the innovation districts of Unicorn Factory Lisbon, being responsible for the implementation of the largest technology and innovation business center in the city of Lisbon since its launch.
With a degree in Law and a postgraduate degree in Management, he held management positions at Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa in the Security Management Office and then in the Quality and Innovation Department. Previously, he held management positions in public bodies, namely as Deputy Director of PETI, Member of the Board of Directors at the Institute for Safety, Hygiene and Health at Work and Member of the Executive Committee at the Portuguese Youth Institute.
Panel:
The Role of Innovation and Entrepreneurship on Cities Decarbonisation
Inês Gonçalves is Impact Specialist at Just a Change, a non-profit organization that combats housing poverty in Portugal.
She is responsible for Just a Change’s social innovation strategy, which includes a strong commitment to impact measurement and the development of a multi-level social support network, promoting a deeper impact on the people supported by the organization.
Prior to this role, she worked at the Malala Fund, UNICEF and the United Nations, focusing on data-driven advocacy and human rights policy formulation.
Panel:
The Role of Innovation and Entrepreneurship on Cities Decarbonisation
Jorge Portugal is Director-General of COTEC Portugal – Business Association for Innovation.
His professional experience includes the ICT, Banking and Retail sectors. He has been a consultant to the President of the Republic of Portugal and the Government of Portugal, among other institutions.
Jorge Portugal began his professional career at Instituto Superior Técnico as a teacher and researcher. For over two decades he has taught seminars, postgraduate courses and executive training in the field of management and Innovation, in Portugal and abroad.
He holds a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico. He completed his MBA at NOVASBE. He completed the Cybersecurity Leadership Program at the invitation of the United States Department of State.
Panel:
The Role of Innovation and Entrepreneurship on Cities Decarbonisation
Joana Mendonça is an Associate Professor with Habilitation at Instituto Superior Técnico and a member of IN+, Center for Studies in Innovation, Technology and Research Policies.
She was President of the National Innovation Agency (ANI) between 2021 and 2023 and held scientific coordination positions at the Carnegie Mellon Portugal Partnership (2012-2021) and CEiiA (2018-2021). In the public sector, she was an advisor to the Minister of Economy for the areas of Innovation and Technology (2016) and an advisor to the Secretary of State for Science, Technology and Higher Education (2009-2010).
Her research focuses on technology and innovation management, commercialization and technological adoption. At Instituto Superior Técnico, she teaches Entrepreneurship, Innovation Management and Design Thinking to master’s and doctoral students.
Closing Session
Maria da Graça Carvalho is the Minister of Environment and Energy of the XXIV Constitutional Government of Portugal, a position she has held since April 2024.
Previously, she was a member of the European Parliament (2009-2014 and 2019-2024), serving on the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality. Between 2003 and 2005, she served as Minister of Science and Higher Education and, between 2006 and 2009, she was an advisor to the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Durão Barroso, in the areas of Science, Innovation, Energy and Environment.
She is a Full Professor at Instituto Superior Técnico and holds a doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College London, with an extensive academic background in the areas of energy and climate change.
Closing Session
Luísa Salgueiro has been the Mayor of Matosinhos since October 21, 2017 and President of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities (ANMP) since December 2021. Luísa Salgueiro is also President of the Coordinating Council of Cidades pelo Clima, chairs the General Assembly of Metro do Porto, Matosinhos Sport and holds prominent positions in national and international organizations, such as ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability and the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy.
She served four terms as a member of the Assembly of the Republic, serving on several parliamentary committees.
With a degree in Law and a postgraduate degree in Environmental Law, she began her career as a lawyer and legal consultant.
