November 2, 2021

07:11

Victória Sales – Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS – Being the center of attention in the world’s biggest event on climate change, Brazil arrives at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26), which happens in Glasgow, Scotland, presenting results and plans to prioritize the capitation of resources and the commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In an exclusive interview to CENARIUM, Eduardo Taveira, Secretary of the Environment of the state of Amazonas, one of the main states that will be at the event, highlighted the strategies to achieve this reduction.

According to Taveira, Amazonas will take the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (Reed) strategy, which will be presented in a “robust” way, from the point of view of compliance and the state’s participation in the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

“We are expanding the ambitions of the State of Amazonas. This is a conversation that we are having with all the governors and, in addition, we also signed a cooperation agreement and joined a campaign called Race To Zero”, he explained.

Taveira also highlights that the campaign involves the industry, the private sector, and the public sector, thinking about environmental solutions and alternatives to reduce emissions, allied to sustainable and economic development.

“This is very significant, because Amazonas is a state where poverty is still prevalent. In general, the rich countries, which brought us to the edge of this climatic precipice, with increased emissions, increased production, in general also increased their wealth based on natural resources”, he points out.

The secretary also highlighted that there is a big challenge for countries like Brazil and for regions like Amazonas, which is to know how to grow by not repeating the same mistakes made so far.

“So it’s a very big paradigm shift, it’s an even bigger burden for countries like Brazil, and this articulation in the agenda is necessary so that at the same time that we have reduction commitments, developed countries also have commitments to finance the economy and climate change agendas, also in developing countries”, he reported.

Articulations

Regarding the relationship with the other nine states that make up the Legal Amazon, there is an articulation, through the Forum of Environment Secretaries of the Legal Amazon, which has been working together with the Ministry of Environment in an integrated program, especially related to the space that Brazil will act within the “blue zone” at COP26.

The blue zone is the main pavilion where the main activities and negotiations of the COP take place and where agendas will take place, including integrated ones, part of them taking place in Brazil, online. The governor of the state of Amazonas, Wilson Lima (PSC), will participate in one of these activities, being transmitted in real time to the Brazilian space in Glasglow”.

Another articulation mentioned by Taveira is the consortium of governors of the Legal Amazon, which will also have a specific space within the blue zone. The expectation is that this subnational participation will also gain prominence.

“At the same time that we are seeking an articulation with the Ministry of the Environment, representing the federal government in the COP entourage, there is also the subnational articulation so that the states can also present their demands, especially from the large financiers that have a large agenda of fundraising by the consortium. Besides, there is the Green Recovery Plan, which is an initiative of the governors of low emission economic recovery”, explains the secretary.

Eduardo also highlights that Amazonas is also signing a commitment decree to reduce its emissions to take to the COP.

“We launched in Belém last week, during the Bioeconomy Forum, our state strategy for emissions reduction and sustainable development, where we increase our emission reduction strategies and also present a scenario for new investments in sectors such as, for example, the bioeconomy and a technological increase in agriculture and livestock, developing more alternatives for increasing productivity, with less pressure on the forest as well”, he explained.