Paris Agreement on climate change now law in Brazil

A bill establishing the rules from the Paris Agreement, signed by Brazil and 194 other countries in the French capital late last year, was approved by the Brazilian Senate floor Thursday (Aug. 11). The deal was designed to reduce climate changes, and was first signed this morning, by the Senate Foreign Relations Commission.

The agreement, subscribed to by nations, intends to curb climate changes by setting targets to stop the global temperature rise. The treaty is part of international law, and establishes duties and recommendations for all signatory countries. Each country should have its own target for cutting down the emission of air pollutants. For the deal to be brought into effect, at least 55 countries ing for at least 55% of global emissions must ratify the deal.

The agreement dictates that at least $100 billion should be transferred from countries regarded as developed to poorer nations every year until 2025, with a view to funding anti-pollution efforts. Concluded in December, 2015, the Paris Agreement limits the increase of the average global temperature below 2º C on pre-industrial levels, in addition to limiting warming to a 1.5º C rise.

To meet this goal, the treaty stipulates individual targets for every country for the reduction of greenhouse emissions. In Brazil's case, the goal is to cut 37% of emissions by 2025 and 43% by 2030.

UN meeting

The bill was approved in time for Brazil to take part in a meeting on the topic with world leaders in New York, on September 21. The assembly, called by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, aims to accelerate the process of curbing greenhouse gas emissions.

During the meetings, Brazilian authorities are expected to detail the country's targets for reducing greenhouse emissions as of 2020, when the norms in the Paris Agreement come into effect, superseding those of the Kyoto Protocol.

For agriculture, Brazil's target is to restore and reforest a 12 million hectare area, apart from restoring 15 million other degraded areas and increasing the integrated crop-livestock-forest system by 5 million hectares

In the energy sector, Brazil's goal is to increase the use of sustainable biofuels by 18%. Brazil plans to reach 45% in renewable energy matrix, from these, 28% to 33% will not use water, like wind and solar power. The country also plans to make energy efficiency gains of 10% in the sector.

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta / Fabrício Ferreira