Guimarães is "an example to be replicated" within the scope of its climate change mitigation strategy, due to its ability to transform European policy guidelines into tangible actions, with effective solutions adapted to the territory. This is the conclusion of the study "Integrating Adaptations and Mitigation for Climate-Resilient Decision-Making," from the European project "DISTENDER," of which the municipality is a part.

The city joined the DISTENDER project to strengthen its climate governance, urban resilience, and health protection. “This project provides decision-makers with a comprehensive methodology to identify, assess, and prioritize integrated climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies,” explains the municipality led by Social Democrat Ricardo Araújo, elected in the municipal elections of October 12, 2025.

According to Eco, among the strategies implemented by the city government are integrated climate planning with systematic collection of local data and joint assessment of mitigation and adaptation. The municipality also lists “the expansion of nature-based solutions applied in green areas and watersheds to manage floods and heat waves.”

The increasing exposure to urban heat and flood risks, related to land-use change and socioeconomic growth, was precisely one of the problems identified by the city government. In addition, there is an increase in health costs associated with heat mortality, which is anticipated to intensify in scenarios of higher emissions.

The Decision Support System that allows for the assessment of the impacts, collateral benefits, and trade-offs of climate actions in the city is one of the city government's strategies recognized in the study. The customized local solutions applied combine climate projections with socioeconomic data.