Brazil Makes "Voluntary Commitment" To Cut CO2

Brazilian President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has approved a new law confirming that the country  will cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 39% by 2020.

This new law meets a commitment made during the climate change summit in Copenhagen earlier this month, which states that Brazil would make a "voluntary commitment" to reduce carbon emissions by 36.1- 38.9% in the next decade.

Council member of the Energy Saving Association (ESA), Mark Sinden, believes in the unlimited potential of saving energy in the climate change battle, with energy efficiency as the prime solution to reducing harmful CO2 emissions.

"Achieving real, consequential reductions in carbon emissions in a cost-effective way simply relies on saving energy. Saving energy means reducing consumption, which reduces emissions as a result and actively contributes to preserving the environment", Mr Sinden said.

However, Brazil's new law is subject to several decrees establishing responsibilities and regulations for the farming, industrial, energy and environmental sectors.

President Lula is expected to sign these decrees in January 2010, after consulting scientists and other specialists.

The only drawback is that Lula has used his veto for 3 of the law's provisional clauses, including a reference to "promoting the development of clean energy sources and the gradual phasing out of energy from fossil fuels".

Nevertheless, Carlos Minc, the Environment Minister expressed his satisfaction with the newly signed law because it demonstrated Brazil's determination to respect the pledges it made in Copenhagen.

"It doesn't matter if the Copenhagen summit didn't get the results we wanted. We will still meet our goals," he told reporters.

The Copenhagen conference established the goal of limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, however it did not deliver an outcome imposing legally binding targets to reduce the emissions of gases that scientists say are heating up the world's atmosphere to dangerous levels.

 

Wednesday 30th December 2009


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