Brazil and United Arab Emirates sign memorandum on climate change

Last Saturday (15), during talks regarding the bilateral relationship between Brazil and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the presidents of both countries committed to finding solutions to combat climate change.

As part of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s state visit to the country – at the invitation of UAE leader Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan –, the two governments signed a specific Memorandum of Understanding concerning the climate agenda to strengthen implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Paris Agreement.

The 1992 Convention signed in New York intends to stabilize greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at a level that doesn’t threaten the planet – and that prevents harmful effects on the climate. Signed in 2015, the global treaty Paris Agreement advances in establishing targets that signatory countries must meet to reduce emissions.

President Lula has reiterated that all countries in the world – from the most to the least developed – must commit to preserving the environment. In a conversation with journalists before leaving China, Lula argued that “this is a single planet; we’re all on the same boat and, if it sinks, no one will escape.” Energy transition was a priority in talks in the UAE and China.

COP 28 – The agreement between Brazil and the United Arab Emirates on climate occurs in a special context, since the UAE will host the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 28) from November 30 to December 12, 2023. Brazil is a candidate to host COP 30 in Belém (state of Pará) in 2025.

Both are considered extremely relevant and are to be the most important conferences since COP 21, during which the Paris Agreement was signed. COP 28 is expected to complete the global assessment of the Paris Agreement’s implementation. The conference will also harbor the second round of national contributions to the fight against climate change that will occur in COP 30 in 2025.

Brazil expressed its full support to the UAE as the next COP 28 Chair – and ratified its commitment to the successful conclusion of the Conference. The UAE welcomed the announcement of Brazil's candidacy to host COP 30. Both countries expressed their willingness to work together to ensure that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s multilateral process paves the way for course correction in climate action and ambitions.

click here to read the full text: Memorandum of Understanding between The Government of The Federative Republic of Brazil and The Government of United Arab Emirates on Climate Action