President Lula highlights Brazil’s commitment to zero deforestation and calls for action by developed countries during climate and energy forum

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took part yesterday (20) in the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF) organized by the US government and held remotely.  In his speech, Lula highlighted Brazil's commitment to zero deforestation by 2030; underscored investments in energy transition; and asked developing countries to comply with climate finance agreements, still considered insufficient to combat global climate changes.

“We reduced deforestation in the Amazon by more than 80% over a decade, and we’ll do it again.  The damage to the environment caused by Brazil’s former government will be reversed.  To this end, we’ve resumed the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon (Plano de Prevenção e Controle do Desmatamento na Amazônia/PPCDAm), which was responsible for a record drop in forest devastation in the recent past. Our goal is zero deforestation,” said the president.

Lula also highlighted the Brazilian energy matrix as the world’s cleanest, since 80% of the country's electricity comes from renewable sources – from hydroelectric, wind, solar, ethanol and biomass power plants.  This is to increase with the installment of new solar and wind power parks. The president mentioned partnerships with other groups of countries, especially in the Amazon – Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, French Guiana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela – and which still harbor tropical forests to be preserved – such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea  – in other continents.

“In August, we’re going to gather the leaders of all eight Amazon countries so as to promote a new common agenda for the region.  We’re going to reaffirm our willingness to work together on far-reaching projects that protect this biome and promote its sustainable development.  We’re also going to work with countries that harbor tropical forests in Africa and Asia.  As a sign of our commitment, we present the city of Belém, in the Amazon, as a candidate to host COP30 in 2025,” stated Lula.

The president also urged the world’s largest global economies to grant greater environmental funding so that developing countries may expand their efforts towards preservation.  “Climate funding offered by developed countries has fallen short of the promised USD 100 billion per year since the 2009 commitment. As I said: everyone must do their part,” he declared.

President Joe Biden, in turn, said the US plans to donate USD 500 million to the Amazon Fund over the next five years – and appealed to other global leaders to do the same. He stated that the US is going to donate USD 1 billion to the United Nations Green Climate Fund, which also finances environmental projects in Brazil.