Brazil holds a unique position in the international effort to mitigate climate change due to its vast natural resources and status as a major global economy. The country contains most of the Amazon rainforest, a globally significant carbon sink, and is also one of the world’s largest agricultural producers. Historically, converting native vegetation for agriculture and ranching has been the primary source of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. Recognizing this, Brazil adopted a broad, multi-sectoral strategy to reduce its carbon footprint and meet its Paris Agreement commitments. This effort involves strengthening environmental enforcement, transforming the energy sector, and promoting sustainable practices within the agricultural industry.
Combating Emissions from Land Use Change
The largest contributor to Brazil’s emissions has been the clearing of native forests and savannas, which releases stored carbon. To combat this, the government strengthened its “command-and-control” enforcement mechanisms, centered on the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon (PPCDAm). This strategy focuses on halting illegal logging and land grabbing, particularly within the Amazon and the Cerrado biome, the country’s second-largest ecosystem.
Enforcement relies heavily on advanced satellite monitoring systems managed by the National Institute for Space Research (INPE). The PRODES system provides annual data on deforested areas, while the DETER (Real-Time Deforestation Detection System) issues daily alerts about recent clearings. This near-real-time information allows the Brazilian Institute of the Environment (IBAMA) to dispatch inspection teams and apply immediate enforcement actions, such as large fines.
These coordinated efforts have shown significant results; data between August 2022 and July 2023 showed a substantial reduction in Amazon deforestation, including a drop of over 22%. Complementary to monitoring, the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR/SICAR) tracks property boundaries and forest deficits. This system holds landowners accountable for environmental compliance by linking land ownership to deforestation data. The goal is to achieve zero illegal deforestation across the country’s biomes by 2030.
Advancing Renewable Energy and Biofuels
Brazil’s electricity grid is already one of the cleanest globally, largely due to extensive hydroelectric power use. The current strategy focuses on expanding non-hydro renewable sources and strengthening low-carbon fuels in transportation. Government incentives promote the rapid growth of wind and solar energy, which are less susceptible to the drought-related reliability issues that sometimes affect hydro generation.
The National Energy Transition Policy (PNTE) and the “Fuel of the Future Law” are key drivers for decarbonizing transportation. These policies build on the existing biofuel industry, which primarily produces ethanol from sugarcane. Biofuels account for a significant portion of transport energy consumption, and mandatory blending targets aim to increase this share.
New regulations will increase the mandatory proportion of ethanol blended into gasoline to 30%, while the blend of biodiesel in diesel fuel is also being raised. The RenovaBio program incentivizes low-carbon biofuel production by establishing a market for carbon credits based on emissions reduction. These actions aim to position Brazil as a leader in sustainable bioenergy.
Scaling Low-Carbon Agricultural Practices
The agriculture and livestock sectors generate significant greenhouse gas emissions through methane from cattle and nitrous oxide from soil management. Brazil addresses these emissions through the Low Carbon Agriculture Plan, now the ABC+ Plan (2020-2030). This initiative offers subsidized credit and technical assistance to producers who adopt sustainable, climate-friendly technologies.
A primary focus is promoting Integrated Crop-Livestock-Forestry (ICLF) systems, which combine farming, ranching, and tree planting on the same land. This integration enhances soil carbon sequestration, increases productivity, and diversifies farm income. The ABC+ Plan also targets the recovery of millions of hectares of degraded pasturelands, converting them into productive areas and reducing the pressure to clear new native vegetation.
Other key practices include biological nitrogen fixation, which reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers, and the widespread adoption of no-till planting techniques. Through these efforts, the government aims to mitigate emissions associated with food production while ensuring the sector remains competitive. The plan seeks to foster the adoption of these low-carbon technologies across over 72 million hectares of agricultural land by 2030.
Establishing National Climate Targets
The overarching framework for Brazil’s climate action is defined by its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. These NDCs represent the country’s formal commitment to the global community and structure national strategies across all sectors. The long-term goal is to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Brazil recently submitted an updated NDC, setting a firm, economy-wide target for the next decade. The country commits to reducing its net greenhouse gas emissions by between 59% and 67% below 2005 levels by 2035. This target range translates to an emission cap of 1.05 to 0.85 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO2e) by that year.
To implement these ambitious goals, the government is developing a comprehensive Climate Plan, which includes detailed strategies for both mitigation and adaptation. This plan involves the creation of sectoral mitigation and adaptation plans, ensuring that every part of the economy contributes to the national effort. These formal policy documents provide the mechanisms necessary to translate international pledges into concrete domestic actions.