Brazil Pledges Dramatic Cuts to Emissions, Sets Example

by Mike Smith · 2009-11-11 10:44:00 UTC
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Brazil is having a good year. In fact, it has been having a few good years with poverty decreasing, literacy increasing, and the 2016 Olympics in Rio potentially crowning another nine years of achievement. But when it comes to setting carbon emission reduction targets the country isn't playing catch up, but leading the way. Brazil's government pledges to reduce emissions by around 40 per cent of the projected emissions levels in 2020 emissions were no action were taken.

But even cutting emissions by 40 per cent of 2020 levels may not be enough, "Scientists say rich nations with long polluting histories, like the US, need to cut emissions by 25-40% by 2020 on 1990 levels," report the Guardian. So cutting emissions based on 2020 levels may miss the target to help reduce atmospheric levels of Co2.

But Brazil are doing much more than other nations, and is expected to soon announce plans to cut deforestation by 80 per cent. The country's Chief of Staff was honest and upfront about their announcement which comes less than a month before Copenhagen; he said "What Brazil is doing is a political gesture ... We still believe that the responsibility belongs to the developed countries." Fearing impasse, they are hoping to lead the U.S. into making significant cuts. The director of public policies for Greenpeace Brasil explained that the progress was good, but that concrete targets would be needed to guarantee the commitment.

Photo credit: Leszekwasilewski

Mike Smith
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