The meetings were scheduled at Casa G20, in Ipanema, debates in partnership with the international organization aim to subsidize the implementation of the economic model in RJ 

The Government of Rio de Janeiro opened the week with another fundamental step for Rio's environmental agenda with the opening of the OECD Mission: Rio Metrópole Azul will hold daily meetings at Casa G20, in Ipanema, until next Friday, the 15th. The Blue Metropolis program is the result of a partnership between the state and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), aimed at obtaining subsidies and support for the implementation of public policies focused on the Blue Economy. 

- At least 15% of Rio's GDP is made up of the Blue Economy, which shows the state's great potential in this area. This partnership with the OECD points to a notable advance for the environmental agenda, also for generating income and jobs for our citizens - said Governor Cláudio Castro. 

Among the main topics on the agenda for the meetings is the in-depth study methodology for implementing the Blue Economy in the Metropolitan Region. To stimulate discussions, the setting is the Casa G20, opened last week by Governor Cláudio Castro to promote cultural exchange between the nations that make up the world forum. 

- The Environment Department is a key player in the discussions that the G20 will bring to the state of Rio de Janeiro. Our environmental policies are cutting-edge in the country and sharing our expertise with other international experiences is an essential exchange for our future - explained the Secretary of State for the Environment and Sustainability, Bernardo Rossi. 

During the week, experts, authorities and representatives of interested institutions will define recommendations for consolidating a plan for this economic model. 

According to Oriana Romano, head of the OECD's Water Governance and Circular Economy Unit, Rio de Janeiro is key to the issue, since a large part of Rio's GDP depends on activities related to the Blue Economy, which makes the state a place with great potential for these discussions in Latin America. She added also the goal of the project is to discuss water governance with the various actors involved in the issue. 

According to the Environment Department's plans, Rio's blue metropolitan ecosystem will remain connected to economic development, which is the reason for the partnership with the OECD, other institutions and civil society. The OECD Mission consists of dialog sessions in which the organization aims to obtain an overview of Blue Economy sectors and ecosystems. The idea is to take into account the specificities of Rio de Janeiro's territory, as well as to promote alignment with the international organization's delegation and establish the next steps.