The Brazilian environmental agenda has been shaped by different perspectives and actors. At the heart of this convergence is the pursuit of greater efficiency in delivering results, which necessarily involves the ability to coordinate between different sectors. 

Adalberto Maluf, a RenovaBR alumnus, exemplifies how efficiency in the public sector involves different layers. Currently the National Secretary for Urban Environment, Water Resources and Environmental Quality at the Ministry of the Environment in Brasília, he built his career on the sustainability and climate agenda, with experience in international organizations, the private sector, and public administration. He holds a bachelor's and master's degree in International Relations from USP (University of São Paulo) and is affiliated with the Green Party (PV). He was a director at BYD and the Clinton Foundation (in partnership with C40), and also worked for the São Paulo City Hall. 

His career spans different sectors, but he says that, from the beginning, his focus has been on the connection between the global and the local. "Always trying to bring international best practices closer to the reality of local public policy," he says. 

Integration as a path to efficiency. 

This multi-sectoral journey – involving international organizations, the private and public sectors – shaped his vision of efficiency: not as an isolated concept, but as a result of integration. "Seeking efficiency in public management implies using indicators, data, and evidence to create public policy," he states. 

Moreover, he emphasizes the importance of structuring tools that allow not only the formulation but also the monitoring and implementation of these policies. This is where one of the pillars of his work comes in: the construction of broader governance arrangements that connect different levels and sectors.

According to him, more effective public policies depend on an "equation of shared responsibility among the different actors." 

This means involving the federal government, states, municipalities, civil society, and the private sector in the development and implementation of solutions. A concrete example of this approach is the Resilient Green Cities program, created within the Ministry of the Environment.

The initiative seeks to integrate different agendas and offer direct support to municipalities, focusing on actions such as urban afforestation, green area management, nature-based solutions, sustainable mobility, and the circular economy. In practice, this translates into training, technical assistance, and the development of structured projects—including the creation of a project bank to facilitate access to funding and accelerate implementation.

When commenting on the priorities of the recent environmental agenda, Maluf highlights advances that combine institutional coordination and direct impact. Among them are the reduction of deforestation, the creation of programs focused on the bioeconomy, and the strengthening of urban policies. He cites, for example, the launch of the National Arborization Plan and the construction of the Urban Environmental Registry, which should allow for greater precision and efficiency in municipal management.

In the area of waste and the circular economy, progress involves both regulation and productive inclusion. Maluf mentions the strengthening of recycling cooperatives, with significant investments and improved indicators. "Official recycling in Brazil went from 3.5% to more than 9%," he points out, also highlighting the role of reverse logistics and traceability policies.

There are also initiatives focused on water resource management, urban agriculture, and pollution control, all with one element in common: the attempt to integrate agendas that have historically progressed separately. This logic of connection—between sectors, levels of government, and different areas of knowledge—appears as the guiding thread of their work.