IPAM (Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia) argues that the debate on oil exploration at the mouth of the Amazon should be conducted with maximum transparency, scientific basis and broad participation by society. Ibama’s operating license for drilling an exploratory well in block FZA-M-059, in the deep waters of Amapá, granted to Petrobras on Monday (20), cannot mean the acceleration of a decision without democratic, reasoned and inclusive dialogue.
The use of fossil fuels continues to be the main cause of greenhouse gas emissions and goes against the commitments made by Brazil to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 53% by 2030. The Institute’s position is that the issue of fossil fuels should be debated at length, on occasions such as COP30 (30th United Nations Conference on Climate Change), which takes place in November in Belém, as it is a vital issue for the country and the planet.
“On the eve of COP30, Brazil should consider giving up this exploration – either to catalyze debates on alternatives to oil, or to inspire the world to accelerate the energy transition,” argues André Guimarães, executive director of IPAM and Civil Society Special Envoy to COP30.
As fossil fuels increase, so does the amount of carbon in the atmosphere, warming the planet and causing the Amazon rainforest to dry out, becoming susceptible to fire, and negatively influencing the Amazon’s role in supplying water to the rest of the country and the continent – which also impacts national agriculture and, consequently, global food security. In other words, more carbon in the atmosphere affects our agricultural production and puts the planet’s food security at risk.
As IPAM has said on more than one occasion, the issue of fossil fuels still needs more dialogue. Both the scientific community and the traditional populations that may be affected need to be heard before Brazil decides to go ahead with the Amazon estuary.
As an alternative to oil exploration in the Amazon, IPAM advocates the creation of a Green Royalties Fund, with the aim of guaranteeing sufficient resources (2.2 billion dollars annually for an indefinite period) to compensate states and municipalities for not opening new oil fronts in the forest region.
As well as making the creation of the fund viable, the Brazilian government should also turn its attention to the raw materials of Brazil’s new riches. These include soy, palm oil, sugar cane, manioc and even sunflower. With the right investments, it is possible to use around 40 million hectares of degraded areas as productive assets for a green economy – even benefiting the transport sector with biofuels such as ethanol, biomethane and biodiesel, which are cheaper and less vulnerable to variations in the price of a barrel of oil.
Brazil’s energy future cannot be decided in haste or on the margins of science. The Amazon, vital for climate balance and for the lives of millions of people, needs to be treated as a strategic asset – not as a risky frontier. By choosing to invest in dialog, innovation and sustainable alternatives, Brazil is setting itself on the path to leading the global energy transition with social justice and environmental responsibility.