By Lucas Guaraldo*
Scientists and representatives of civil society have played their part in combating the climate crisis, and the focus must now be on implementing and creating governance mechanisms capable of curbing deforestation and the use of fossil fuels, warned researchers and decision-makers during the webinar “Pre-COP30: science, climate policies and business”, organized by the Getúlio Vargas Foundation on Wednesday, 29.
“This has to be the COP of implementation. Science has proved its point, civil society has tired of drawing attention to this issue and now it’s time to turn the key and start acting. The Paris Agreement rule book is almost ready. We no longer have any excuse not to do it. Implementing mitigation doesn’t need consensus – every country, organization, company and nation can do its part from now on,” said André Guimarães, executive director of IPAM (Amazon Environmental Research Institute) and Special Civil Society Envoy to COP30.
The event brought together researchers, environmentalists, economists and representatives of civil society to preview the main debates at COP30, focusing on the role of the financial market, banks and companies in the climate agenda. The event also marked the launch of the special edition of GV-executivo magazine, which brings together articles by leading experts, presenting frameworks and practical recommendations to guide leaders in their decision-making and strategy.
“In civil society, we have harmony on priorities. We need to give clear direction on abandoning fossil fuels. The second priority is to stop deforestation, especially in tropical forests. These two issues need to be dealt with aggressively so that we come out with a clear direction, so that, as well as a COP of implementation, this is a COP of hope,” André added.
In a statement published in October, IPAM criticized the hasty way in which the debate on the exploration of new oil wells at the mouth of the Amazon has been conducted and defended the fact that the issue should be widely debated during the conference. As an alternative, the Institute supports investments in biofuels and the creation of “green royalties” – a fund aimed at guaranteeing resources to compensate states and municipalities that choose not to open new oil exploration fronts in the Amazon region.
Private market potential
With the worsening effects of the climate crisis – which are increasingly affecting economic activities, production flows, energy generation and infrastructure – the environmental agenda is gaining ground in the private market. According to Paulo Artaxo, coordinator of the Center for Sustainable Amazon Studies at the University of São Paulo and chairman of the IPAM Board, the issue is essential for the functioning of the planet and has potentially severe consequences for regions like Brazil.
“We are on course for an increase of 2.8 °C in the global average. In continental regions like Brazil, this means an increase of between 3.5 °C and 4 °C. What does this mean for Brazilian cities that already have high temperatures? How will this affect rainfall and irrigation for agribusiness? What about energy generation? The impacts on the economy will be tremendous. This agenda was urgent last decade. Now we’re beyond urgency – it’s essential,” warned Artaxo.
Currently, the agricultural sector is responsible for around 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions and is among the main drivers of deforestation in tropical regions. At the same time, it faces increasingly unpredictable harvests due to climate imbalance, according to FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) data.
“In agriculture, we need a little rain when we plant, a lot of rain while the plant is growing and no rain at all when we harvest. Brazil’s competitive advantage is that, in some areas, this happens three times a year – and it only happens because of the forests. If we put the forest at risk, this production will no longer happen. This means more expensive and scarcer food for the world. Preserving the forest means contributing to the climate, to the economy, to traditional cultures and to feeding the population,” defended André Guimarães.
In addition to the need to adapt to the risks posed by climate change, the webinar also highlighted the potential of private market players to strengthen the Action Agenda and the implementation of the policies discussed at COP30. Without the participation of banks and companies, the speakers emphasized, any sustainability initiative will have limited reach and effectiveness.
“The market is this powerful but complex instrument for mitigating climate change. We need to train all the actors involved in this agenda so that they can deal with it and understand its role in mitigation. The market is a financing tool, but it is also a very important tool for achieving targets and reducing implementation costs. Doing this without the market would be much more costly,” concluded Beatriz Soares, Project Manager at the National Climate Change Secretariat of the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change.
IPAM journalist, lucas.itaborahy@ipam.org.br*