novembro, 14 2024

By WWF-Brazil

Brazil was the second signatory country of the Paris Agreement to submit its new Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), as the plan with national goals and commitments to tackle climate change is called, on Wednesday (13). The 44-page document details the goal announced on Friday (8) to reduce emissions by between 59% and 67% by 2035.

The new document brings important progress worth celebrating, beginning with more ambitious targets compared to the previous NDC, as the Paris Agreement anticipates, and by mentioning the various greenhouse gas-emitting sectors in Brazil. It also includes commitments to combat deforestation, large-scale restoration plans for native vegetation, and efforts to gradually phase out fossil fuels in several sectors through a national energy policy. Another positive example is the commitment to promoting the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities at the national level as well. This approach is innovative in bringing climate justice, which the country advocates in international negotiations, to the domestic level. It is also noteworthy that, for the first time, Brazil’s revised NDC includes its marine and coastal zones in climate commitments, addressing 40% of the previously neglected national territory, representing progress. Also for the first time, adaptation is highlighted in Brazil's NDC.

However, considering the urgency of climate change and the global importance of Brazil’s leadership on the issue, Brazil’s new NDC should be more explicit on key issues for decarbonizing the Brazilian economy. For example, it should unequivocally formalize the goal of eliminating deforestation and the conversion of natural ecosystems by 2030 and outline a clear and objective energy transition path toward the total elimination of fossil fuels.
Science is categorical in showing that, if we want a sustainable future, there is no longer room for new oil and gas exploration frontiers. “Currently, fossil fuels receive more than 80% of all energy source subsidies. Studies point to an imbalance in incentive allocation, as for every 1 real of public budget spent on renewables, approximately 4.5 is spent on fossil fuels,” notes Tatiana Oliveira, a public policy specialist at WWF-Brazil.

Another concern is the existence of two targets for greenhouse gas mitigation, which the adoption of a range creates. Besides being a significant interval (the difference between 850 megatons of carbon dioxide equivalent [MtCO2eq] and 1,050 MtCO2eq is roughly the size of the annual emissions of an entire country, like Argentina), we are left without a clear explanation of which emissions target will guide the reduction efforts across various sectors of the national economy.

According to the Brazilian government, specific sectoral targets will be defined in the Climate Plan, to be developed next year with society’s participation. This will be a key moment for detailing the targets further and discussing the public policies needed to align the country with the NDC roadmap. However, achieving meaningful engagement in this dialogue and consultation process remains a challenge. According to Flavia Martinelli, climate change and adaptation specialist at WWF-Brazil, this process requires adjustments: “Although Brazil conducts consultations with civil society in its climate plans, both in the NDC and the Climate Adaptation Plan, the Brazil Participativo platform does not facilitate the engagement of those without stable internet access or digital literacy—this is a reality for indigenous peoples and traditional communities, for instance, who hold valuable knowledge for Brazil’s goals. If consultations included the people and communities most affected by the climate crisis, the government would have greater input for its national targets.”