The debate does not end in Denmark, says the MMA's Secretary for Climate Change

Secretariat for Social Communication of the Presidency of Brazil

The Secretary for Climate Change and Environmental Quality at the Ministry of the Environment, Suzana Kahn, who is also a scientist of the transport area and a 2007 Nobel prize winner with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, highlights actions foreseen by the National Plan on Climate Change.

Brazil goes to Copenhagen with ambitious voluntary targets. It is in a favorable situation to advocate more emphatically for a robust climate agreement and demand significant contributions in financial and technological resources. Is it the consolidation of the Brazilian protagonism?

When countries in the process of development take up quantitative commitments towards changing their emission patterns, they demonstrate a real willingness to grow according to a new model, in direction of a green economy. However, for us to deviate from the business as usual route and follow an innovative and creative model, based on clean technologies, investment is a requirement. 

It is not a matter of donation, but international cooperation. It is respecting the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. When rich nations help developing countries change their growth patterns, they are helping themselves. The atmosphere has no nationality and the world is just one.

Unfortunately, the financing side of climate negotiations is still far behind what is necessary. The financial architecture is a key point and the Brazilian delegation will certainly discuss this aspect vigorously.

With the expressive reduction of deforestation, a clean energy mix and quantitative commitments on the reduction of future emissions, we have an excellent portfolio of actions that places us in a strong negotiation position, strengthening our protagonism.

What do you expect for COP-15?

My expectations are optimistic, but realistic. The debate does not end in Denmark. In fact this is the starting point, because in sequence we have the description and implementation phases of this new adjustment of the global economy.

In the domestic plan, what are the main objectives already mentioned in the National Plan on Climate Change?

We could mention the targets for energetic efficiency; taking measures in this area could generate an economy of 106,000 GWh in 2030, what represents that the emission of around 30 million tons of CO2 would be avoided.

The government also wants to keep a high share of renewables in the energy mix, by raising the supply of co-generation electric power, especially from sugarcane bagasse, to 11.4% of the total amount of electricity generated in the country by 2030.

Hydropower should aggregate 34 GWh to the system and the stimulus to the utilization of solar water heating systems can generate a reduction in energy consumption of 2,200 GWh/year by 2015.

In relation to the expansion of thermoelectric plants, the Ministry of the Environment is working for the adoption by entrepreneurs of measures aimed at the mitigation of carbon dioxide emissions deriving from the operation of thermoelectric plants using combustible oil and charcoal. The entrepreneur should mitigate part of the emissions generated along the lifecycle of the entrepreneurship, through forest recovery activities using both exotic and native species.

For the steel industry, we want to adopt the green steel and stimulate the utilization of charcoal from reforestation, improvement of the energetic efficiency and use of green certification programs.

Will targets indicated in the Plan have any interference in national growth?

The Plan should not interfere in national growth precisely because the mechanisms of GHG emissions reduction are based on energetic efficiency, with the adoption of biofuels and alternative sources, such as wind energy. Investors should not feel insecure.

The Ministry of the Environment is encouraging the participation of states and municipalities for the execution of the National Plan. Are local governments engaged in this process?

The participation of states and municipalities in the consolidation of the National Plan is fundamental, as it is entering a phase that will require extreme integration. Our approach now is on what is being done in the states so that these actions to tackle climate change can be adjusted to the National Plan. Improving information sharing amongst different departments of the public powers has become a crucial aspect to the accomplishment of targets proposed by Brazil.

Some examples of actions at state level for emissions reduction and the accomplishment of the targets of the National Plan are the issuing of environmental licenses that should include criteria related to GHG emissions, and the creation of state forums on climate change, which are already calculating their emissions inventories. Both are acknowledged as an important tools for the environmental policy.

In what stage is the monitoring of actions under the National Plan? Is there already an estimate of when such data will be available?

The monitoring of the plan is made through emissions estimates in comparison with the likely emission scenario, which will also be released during COP15. When emissions are below expectations of the likely scenario, the success of mitigation actions detailed in the Plan is verified.

What will change with the approval by the Congress of the Climate Fund and the National Policy in relation to actions detailed in the Plan?

The Climate Fund is essential to the implementation of actions enlisted in the Plan, especially in regard to adaptation measures. The idea is that the Plan could be a means of guiding the application of the Fund.

What are the main results of ongoing sector agreements as actions to fight deforestation?

Sector agreements have a great importance as they promote the participation of other agents of the society, and not only the government. For our objectives to be met, it is fundamental the engagement of the whole society. When a consumer refuses to buy meat of suspicious precedence, supermarkets reevaluate their suppliers and, in a chain reaction, only producers with good practices remain in the market. Likewise, when the auto industry brings to public the emission levels of their cars, consumers have the possibility of opting for cars with the less environmental impact, stimulating a healthy competition for the production of more efficient and less pollutant vehicles.