2025 Local Leaders Climate Awards / Power of Partnership
Winners: Power of Partnership
Cities & regions uniting to deliver national-level climate results
The Scottish Government and the Government of the State of Piauí were announced as winners of the 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Local Leaders Climate Awards on November 4, 2025 at the COP30 Local Leaders Forum in Rio de Janeiro.
WINNER: SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT
Woodland Carbon Code and Scotland’s Woodland Restoration
The Woodland Carbon Code, delivered by Scottish Forestry on behalf of UK governments, helps landowners and organizations address climate change by creating and supporting woodland projects across the UK. Since launch, the code helped create over 40,000 hectares of new woodland across the UK predicted to remove 14 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The code serves as the government’s standard of excellence for verifying genuine carbon credits associated with woodland planting schemes, internationally endorsed for meeting high integrity standards. Scotland leads the UK in woodland creation, delivering about 70% of all UK new woodland creation in the past five years. The Code enables delivery towards Scotland and UK-wide net zero targets.
WINNER: GOVERNMENT OF THE STATE OF PIAUÍ
Ecological ICMS of the State of Piauí
The Piauí Ecological ICMS is a tax revenue distribution mechanism rewarding municipalities that adopt effective environmental protection policies through objective criteria including conservation unit creation, water source preservation, solid waste management, and biodiversity protection. Established by state legislation, the program offers municipalities opportunity to increase their tax share, converting environmental practices into economic benefits with technical guidelines and monitoring instruments. The program recently advanced by including broader criteria such as integrated waste management and conservation unit regularization, encouraging municipalities to expand sustainability strategies. The Ecological ICMS represents innovative public policy combining environmental conservation and financial incentives, promoting more sustainable land management across the state.
FINALIST: ISKANDAR MALAYSIA REGION
Iskandar Malaysia Ecolife Challenge (IMELC)
The Iskandar Malaysia EcoLife Challenge is a flagship environmental education program launched in 2013 to promote low-carbon lifestyles among primary school students, modeled after Japan’s Kyoto Eco-Life Challenge and adapted to local context. Delivered in partnership with regional development authority, university, state education department, and private sector, IMELC has engaged over 900 schools and more than 100,000 students. The program evolves continually from workbook-based learning to digital reporting, expanding from core themes like 3R, water, and energy savings to additional modules on cooking oil recycling and natural asset preservation. IMELC directly supports Malaysia’s NDC targets for demand-side GHG reductions and aligns with national climate policy by fostering climate literacy and inclusive engagement.
FINALIST: RECIFE
Filtering Gardens
‘Filtering Gardens’ are a Nature-Based Solution using phytoremediation plants to sustainably filter water pollution, improving quality and promoting oxygenation in water bodies. Pioneer in public parks in Recife, the solution treats 350,000 liters of water per day—equivalent to one Olympic swimming pool per week—mitigating urban pollution in the Capibaribe River. The project’s success results from coordination between local and federal government, development agencies, and international organizations, with social participation from conception to post-delivery. Based on living laboratory logic integrated into Caiara Park, the environment offers leisure, education, and socio-environmental awareness, exploring nature’s regenerative potential in transforming urban fabric.
2025 Local Leaders Climate Awards
Explore more from the other winners.
More from Bloomberg Philanthropies at COP30
COP30 Local Leaders Forum
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil