Brazil’s leader, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has arrived at Cop28 with a large group of over 2,000 individuals and ambitious goals to tackle inequality and preserve the world’s tropical forests.
The individual known as Lula stated that their country is setting a positive example. They have modified their climate objectives to be more challenging than those of numerous developed nations. Additionally, they have significantly decreased deforestation in the Amazon and plan to completely eliminate it by 2030.
However, any claims he may have made regarding taking a leading role in reducing fossil fuels for the sake of the environment were undermined on Thursday. This was due to the decision of Brazil’s energy minister, Alexandre Silveira, to announce at the world’s largest environmental conference that Brazil intends to align itself with Opec, the world’s largest oil cartel.
Climate activists in Brazil expressed outrage at the timing and symbolism of recent events, citing them as evidence of the internal divisions within a nation that has made significant efforts to decrease deforestation in the Amazon. Despite this progress, the country continues to pursue oil exploration in environmentally fragile regions.
According to Marcio Astrini, the executive secretary of the Brazilian Climate Observatory, the act of celebrating admittance into the oil industry during a climate conference is a scandal. He compared it to the minister of mines and energy contradicting President Lula’s environmental speech. Astrini believes that with ministers who support this, President Lula doesn’t need any opponents.
As the year with the highest recorded temperatures comes to a close, individuals in various countries impacted by climate change are urging delegates at the UN climate conference to establish a target of eliminating the use of fossil fuels.
The authors were optimistic that Brazil, the host of Cop30 in two years, would be a supportive partner. Since his inauguration in January, Lula, a long-standing member of the Workers party, has consistently emphasized the urgency of the climate crisis and endorsed actions taken by his environmental minister, Marina Silva, to undo the environmental harm caused by the previous right-wing administration of Jair Bolsonaro.
Lula has been given a strong advantage at the summit thanks to this development. Deforestation, responsible for approximately half of Brazil’s carbon emissions, has decreased to its lowest point in five years. The government has also set more ambitious goals for reducing emissions, aiming for a 53% reduction by 2030 compared to 2005 and achieving net zero emissions by the middle of the century.
According to Ani Toni, the secretary for climate change in the government, Brazil has successfully reduced carbon emissions by 250 million tonnes this year, which is equal to Argentina’s total. “As Brazil approaches Cop28, we are proud of our accomplishments,” she stated.
In addition to leading by example, Brazil hosted a conference with other Amazon countries earlier this year and attempted to form a partnership with other environmentally-conscious countries like Indonesia and Congo.
During Cop28, there is a proposal for the creation of a forest fund that would compensate countries for reducing deforestation and encourage forest inhabitants to refrain from harmful activities like logging, ranching, and mining. The goal is for this fund to be overseen by either the World Bank or another international organization, and it would begin with an initial amount of $100 million and gradually grow to the necessary billions required to protect and restore the planet’s vital carbon sinks, regulate rainfall, and preserve biodiversity.
A designated fund for loss and damage has been established to assist the countries and communities that are at the highest risk of extreme weather events. Brazil is anticipated to take a leading role among developing nations by advocating for wealthier nations, who hold the greatest responsibility for the climate crisis, to make significant donations.
Officials from the foreign ministry in Brazil have announced that their country will take on the role of protecting the world’s most ambitious climate objective, which is to restrict global warming to 1.5C (2.7F) above levels before industrialization. Despite increased scientific evidence indicating that this goal may be surpassed earlier than anticipated, Brazil remains committed to achieving it. In order for there to be a slim possibility of preventing this outcome, greenhouse gas emissions must start decreasing quickly, which will necessitate a swift elimination of fossil fuels.
Brazil, along with the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Norway, and several other countries, is facing uncertainty due to their plans to authorize new oil endeavors that do not align with the 1.5C target. Following Cop28, Brazil intends to hold an auction for numerous oil exploration sites, including those in environmentally delicate regions like near the Amazon river mouth, as reported by Carol Pasquali of Greenpeace.
According to her, Brazil is facing conflicting issues. While it is making progress in preserving forests, it is also burdened by its history of oil exploration. To become a leading force in addressing climate change, Brazil must strive for greater consistency.
The issues within the government are not beneficial. In order to be elected, Lula had to unite a diverse group of politicians, including those who support left-leaning climate justice and those who advocate for right-leaning agribusiness.
The appointment of Brazil’s first minister of indigenous peoples, Sonia Guajajara, by Lula has given a stronger voice to the country’s indigenous communities. She is one of 15 ministers in the Brazilian delegation, which is significantly larger than previous delegations and is said to be the largest in the history of UN climate summits. The delegation is diverse, with members from civil society, business, academia, and indigenous communities.
Delegate Neidinha Cristóvão Kanindé stated that it is important for law enforcement officers to ensure that Indigenous individuals feel genuinely listened to and have their rights protected, particularly in regards to the delineation of land.
Source: theguardian.com
