EN 
PT_BR 
A business group made up of large companies signed a letter demanding greater participation of Federal government on issues related to the environment. The document calls for a greater role for the country against deforestation and the emission of greenhouse gases, as well as investments in renewable energy.
The text will be presented to the Union and taken to the United Nations conference on climate change, the COP26, scheduled to take place in November, in Glasgow, Scotland. The document was signed by 105 companies, almost half of which (46) are publicly traded, totaling almost R$ 1 trillion in revenue.
Among the signatures are CEOs such as: Octavio de Lazari Júnior (Bradesco), Lorival Luz (BRF), Marc Reichardt (Bayer), Daniel Klabin (Klabin), Fabio Faccio (Renner), Marcelo Melchior (Nestlé), André Lopes de Araújo (Shell), Daniel Mazini (Amazon), Christian Gebara (Vivo), João Paulo Ferreira (Natura) and Marcelo Araujo (Ipiranga).
Called “Entrepreneurs for the Climate”, the initiative is led by CEBDS (Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development) and is part of a series of moves that the private sector has made over the last few months to attract the attention of the Brazilian government.
Read too: Solar parks: a trend among large companies.
According to businesspeople, the lack of sustainable policies and the increase in deforestation – especially in the Amazon – culminated in a mass withdrawal of foreign investment in the country.
“We must build a trajectory oriented towards a future with clear climate objectives, under penalty of being excluded from a new climate-economic order that is being consolidated before our eyes, which would be unjustifiable for a country like Brazil”, highlights one of the excerpts of the letter.
In the document, the companies also asked for a political-regulatory framework that supports effective actions to end illegal deforestation and environmental conservation. “This is a unique opportunity for Brazil to be competitive and to improve the living conditions of the population, aligned with the new priorities around which the world is moving”, highlight the companies.
Read the full letter:
Positioning businesspeople for the climate
“The world urgently needs to move towards a low-carbon economy and the business sector in Brazil recognizes its responsibility in this transformation. Based on commitment, science and innovation, companies are responding to the call expressed in the Paris Agreement, which, in 2015, gave the productive sector a leading role in defending against the worsening and effects of climate change, in partnership with the civil society and governments.
Brazil has extraordinary comparative advantages in the race to achieve a net carbon neutral economy, making use of our multiple natural resources and the capabilities of our people. To achieve this, we must develop a political-regulatory framework that supports this trajectory within a firm commitment to effective actions to preserve the environment and meet the goals of combating illegal deforestation. This is a unique opportunity for Brazil to be competitive and to improve the population's living conditions, in line with the new priorities around which the world is moving.
It is possible to bring innovation and good practices to scale and strategically plan so that Brazil quickly realizes its sustainable growth potential and aligned with the objectives of combating climate change and protecting biodiversity. The Brazilian business sector is engaged in the country's recovery from the effects of Covid-19, promoting a green recovery based on a circular, low-carbon and inclusive economy. The CEOs who signed this document have taken positions and worked for this advancement across the country.
On the eve of the Glasgow COP, the moment is for action, with a view to preventing global warming beyond 1.5º C in relation to the pre-industrial period. Therefore, companies in Brazil have already been adopting measures to reduce and offset greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, internal carbon pricing, decarbonization of operations and value chains, investments in green technologies and establishment of targets ambitious corporate climate neutrality plans by 2050.
A rapid transition to low carbon is possible and desired by the Brazilian productive sector. According to a recent study, supported by the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS), it is possible to reduce GHG emissions by up to 42% in Brazil in 2025, compared to 2005 levels.
To achieve this goal, the advances represented by RenovaBio, our recently approved payment policy for environmental services – PSA, the future regulated carbon market in Brazil, are important, as well as the effort for global recognition of Brazilian experience and contribution to mitigation of net greenhouse gas emissions, including with nature-based solutions. Therefore, we consider it crucial to deepen the discussion between the private sector, civil society and the Brazilian government on the Brazilian position in relation to Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
Ambitious climate objectives correspond to our conviction that Brazil must seek leadership in climate negotiations. This is a role compatible with our tradition of climate integrity, present in the country's decision to assume a nationally determined contribution (NDC) to combat climate change that is relevant and unconditional, and in the construction of international consensus that has characterized our country. Brazil must maintain its centrality in this dialogue, under penalty of enormous damage to the productive sector and Brazilian society.
We believe that the discussions on mechanisms to support the carbon neutral objective provided for in the Paris Agreement, to be conducted in Glasgow, are an opportunity to stimulate the world economy, opening borders and aligning efforts, for the inclusion of countries of all levels of income, encouraging innovation and paying attention to integrity in the fight against global warming.
To give concreteness to efforts towards a carbon neutral economy, we support adherence to targets based on scientific concepts (Science Based Targets) and financial transparency practices (Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures), with the adoption of financing to promote the climate transition and the comprehensive and unequivocal combat against illegal deforestation in the Amazon Forest and other Brazilian biomes.
It is also necessary to adopt rules that enable the development of voluntary and regulated carbon markets in Brazil – with transparent practices in accounting for emissions and their connection with global markets, ensuring the environmental quality and integrity of the carbon credits to be traded and cooperating to create a global carbon market within the scope of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
We must build a trajectory oriented towards a future with clear climate objectives, under penalty of being excluded from a new climate-economic order that is being consolidated before our eyes, which would be unjustifiable for a country like Brazil.
The Brazilian business sector therefore invites all of society and political actors to support Brazil's engagement in this new global climate economy reality, through the green recovery of the economy and active participation in the Glasgow Conference and its preparations. This way we will be able to reaffirm our international insertion and build a better environmental, social and economic legacy, with less inequalities and better living conditions, for this and the next generations.”
