Call for papers: Special Issue on Brazil Post-COP30
Water as Heritage: Co-creating Water-Based Design Strategies for Brazil Post-COP30
The 30th UN Climate Conference (COP30), to be held in Belém do Pará, Brazil, in November 2025, marks a strategic moment for global climate action, with the Amazon as its backdrop. This is not just a natural landscape, but the vastest biocultural monument produced by humanity where natural and cultural heritage are inextricably linked, shaped over millennia by indigenous agroforestry management. While the international climate scenario presents daunting challenges on planetary climate justice, such critical junctures also offer profound windows of opportunity. COP30 will tackle an array of urgent topics, from emissions reduction and climate adaptation to ecological transformation and climate justice. Within this complex agenda, this Special Issue of Blue Papers seeks to illuminate and advance the crucial connections between the natural and cultural heritage of water and sustainable development in Brazil, particularly in light of the growing urgency to preserve and value water resources.
Brazil, the host nation with thousands of years of (often overlooked) history, offers a compelling and complex focus. Its continental scale encompasses diverse biomes and territories, rich histories, and deep-seated inequities, making it a strategic epicenter for developing globally relevant climate solutions. From the Amazonian gateway of Belém, with its ‘flying river’ – atmospheric currents of moisture originating from the forest’s evapotranspiration that carry a greater volume of water vapor than the Amazon River itself – to coastal cities like Recife and inland-deltas such as Porto Alegre facing extreme weather threats, the nation confronts profound climate adaptation challenges and opportunities. Initiatives like the Brazilian Research Network on Global Climate Change (Rede Clima) and its "nexus+" perspective (water-energy-food + socio-ecological security) highlight the importance of interdisciplinary approaches and the recognition of Indigenous peoples' knowledge in developing nature-based solutions. Furthermore, Brazil's updated National Policy on Climate Change, the forthcoming National Plan on Climate Change (Plano Clima), and its ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) all highlight the imperative to connect water heritage - that is both natural and cultural - with sustainable development.
This special issue aims to be a timely and impactful contribution to these discussions. We invite contributions that capture the reflections and potential outcomes stemming from COP30, promote innovative policy recommendations, and contribute to sustainable, water-resilient development in Brazil and, by extension, worldwide. We seek to build a collection of methodological experiences, insightful case studies, and forward-looking design strategies that champion the intrinsic value of water and heritage in shaping a more sustainable future.
Scope and Focus of Contributions
We welcome a diverse range of submissions, including but not limited to:
- Empirical Research Articles: In-depth studies on water management, heritage conservation, and climate adaptation in various Brazilian contexts.
- Case Studies: Detailed examinations of specific projects, policies, or community initiatives related to water-based design, highlighting successes, challenges, and lessons learned.
- Methodological Explorations: Innovations in research methodologies, participatory design processes, or assessment frameworks for valuing water and heritage (e.g., applications of the "nexus+" approach).
- Policy Analyses and Recommendations: Critical evaluations of existing policies and actionable recommendations for future governance related to water, heritage, and climate resilience in Brazil, particularly post-COP30.
- Design Proposals and Prototypes: Visionary or practical design interventions that integrate water sensitivity, cultural heritage, and ecological principles.
- Critical Reviews and Theoretical Papers: Papers that advance conceptual understanding of the water-heritage-sustainability nexus in the Brazilian or similar Global South contexts.
Submissions should ideally address the intersection of water management, cultural and natural heritage, climate adaptation, and sustainable development within the Brazilian context, reflecting on the discussions and outcomes of COP30. We particularly encourage contributions that:
- Explore the application of the "nexus+" perspective.
- Integrate Indigenous, traditional, and local ecological knowledge.
- Address issues of socio-ecological security, climate justice, and equity.
- Offer actionable strategies for urban and rural environments across Brazil's diverse biomes.
- Reflect on Case Studies, Methodologies and Good Practices around the topic.
Guiding Questions for Contributions
Contributions may address, but are not limited to, the following questions:
- How can the discussions, commitments, and outcomes of COP30 in Belém catalyze transformative water-based design strategies and policies in Brazil?
- What are innovative and effective ways to integrate the material and cultural heritage of water (including Indigenous heritage) into contemporary sustainable development and climate adaptation plans across Brazil's diverse regions and biomes?
- How can the "nexus+" approach (water-energy-food + socio-ecological security) be practically applied to develop resilient, equitable, and culturally attuned water solutions in Brazilian urban and rural contexts?
- What are the key challenges and opportunities in implementing nature-based solutions for water management in Brazil, and how can these simultaneously address GHG emissions, biodiversity protection, and climate justice?
- How can national instruments like the Plano Clima and Brazil's NDCs be effectively translated into tangible, on-the-ground water-sensitive design and governance practices?
- What can be learned from historical and traditional water management systems in Brazil for contemporary sustainable practices?
- What are the pressing issues related to water governance, access, and equity in Brazilian cities and territories, and how can design strategies contribute to addressing these injustices?
- How can financial mechanisms, institutional arrangements, and community participation be strengthened to support the widespread adoption of sustainable water-based designs in Brazil?
- What role can transdisciplinary collaboration (academia, practitioners, communities, policymakers) play in co-creating and implementing effective water resilience strategies in the post-COP30 era?
Lead-in Context: For a deeper understanding of the motivations behind this special issue, contributors are encouraged to reflect on the perspectives shared in Moacyr Araujo’s preface, "Calling for Water-based Design Strategies after COP 30 in Belém" (Blue Papers 2025, Vol. 4 No. 1, pp. 6–7), which sets a critical stage for the discussions we aim to foster. Link
Submission Guidelines: For the format of contributions, please refer to the Blue Papers template and author instructions available on the journal's website. (Please ensure you download the latest versions of these files before preparing your submission). Link
Please submit your contributions via email to the Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Ing. Carola Hein ([email protected]), and the Guest Editor for this special issue, Mila Avellar Montezuma ([email protected]).
Please indicate "Blue Papers Special Issue: Brazil Post-COP30" in the subject line of your email.
Suggested Timeline:
Call for Papers Launch: December 1, 2025
Deadline for Full Paper Submissions: April 15, 2026
Notification of Acceptance after Peer Review: July 15, 2026
Submission of Revised Manuscripts: September 15, 2026
Final Editorial Processing: October 2026
Anticipated Publication Date: November/December 2026
Inquiries: If you have any inquiries about the appropriateness of contribution topics or any other questions regarding this special issue, please do not hesitate to contact the Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Ing. Carola Hein ([email protected]), or the Guest Editors listed above.