Brazil presented its plan against climate change and surprised the global community with the ambitious figures it foresees for 2035. Looking ahead to the next decade, its goal is to reduce carbon emissions by up to 67%.
During the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP29, which ended last week, the country’s Vice President, Geraldo Alckmin, presented the update of its international climate commitments.
Brazil against climate change: the plans
By 2035, Brazil aims to reduce its emissions by between 59% and 67% compared to 2005 levels. The deadline for countries to submit these documents is February 2025.
In 2024, it reduced deforestation rates in the Brazilian Amazon by 30.6%.
As the host of the upcoming COP30, Brazil made a pact with the United Arab Emirates and Azerbaijan, the presidents of the last two conferences, to pressure other nations to be more ambitious in their climate commitments.
Unlike previous climate commitments presented to the UN, this one not only addresses its plan to reduce greenhouse gases but also how to adapt to climate change.
Pact for Ecological Transformation
Brazil, the document says, created the Pact for Ecological Transformation between the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches to expedite proposals related to the topic.
There are also clues on how to restructure the national economy to achieve this. Throughout 2025, the document states, they will present 16 sectorial adaptation plans and seven sectorial mitigation plans to implement what Brazil aims to achieve from now until 2035.
Will it be insufficient?
While Brazil’s plan against climate change has generally surprised, for the better, there are also some criticisms.
Estimates by scientific groups such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicate that to have around a 67% probability of the global average temperature not exceeding 1.5°C by the end of the century, emissions must be reduced by 60% compared to the 2019 scenario.
In this sense, Brazil may fall short. As stated by Karen Silverwood-Cope, climate director at the World Resource Institute in Brazil, if the country achieves the ambitious goal of 67%, it could be on track to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
“Conversely, reducing emissions by only 59% by 2035 is a contribution that falls short of reaching the same goal,” she said.
Analyses conducted by the Observatório do Clima earlier this year had suggested that taking the 2005 baseline, the one chosen by Brazil, emissions should be reduced by at least 92% by 2035 to stay on track for 1.5°C.
With the return of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to the presidency, Brazil has resumed its climate leadership. This is crucial considering it is one of the top ten countries in terms of both historical and annual emissions.
Lula Da Silva returned to the presidency with plans against climate change.
In 2024, it reduced deforestation rates in the Brazilian Amazon by 30.6% compared to 2023. That year, it had also achieved a 22.3% reduction compared to 2022.
The country also has a bill in Congress to create an emissions trading system that would enable it to have a formal and regulated carbon market. However, its plans with fossil fuels will be the real challenge.
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