“The Ministry of Economy’s view is that carbon pricing is a strategic policy that can bring many benefits to Brazil.” The statement by Ana Luiza Champloni, general coordinator of Environment and Climate Change at the Secretariat of Economic Policy of the Ministry of Economy, marked the Carbon Pricing Panel, a side event of the Latin America and Caribbean Climate Week, a UN initiative, which is taking place this week in Salvador (BA). The panel was held this Monday (19) by CEBDS (Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development), Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition (CPLC) and Votorantim Cement.
“The positive impact of carbon pricing is a milestone. People are not interested in new taxes. Today, the government sees the carbon market as a more viable alternative for pricing carbon,” said the representative of the Ministry of Economy at the regional event of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that precedes the climate summit (COP-25), in December, in Chile. According to her, the progress that CEBDS is achieving with the business sector directly influences the Brazilian economy and the country’s finances.
“Brazil’s competitive advantage in offering greenhouse gas emission reductions is an opportunity to attract national and international private investment and encourage technological development in the country,” said Marina Grossi, president of CEBDS, an institution that presented a proposal last year to create a carbon market in Brazil, outlining ways for companies to incorporate this. With a clean energy and forestry base, Brazil has comparative advantages in the carbon market by offering real emission reductions at a competitive cost compared to most developed countries.
Votorantim: carbon pricing is already a reality
For Fabio Cirilo, energy efficiency consultant at Votorantim Cimentos, a company associated with CEBDS, carbon pricing is already a reality: “The price of carbon is rising and this has an impact on business. We need to understand this challenge. We are doing our part to reduce carbon emissions and pricing is one of the answers. We understand that the challenge of reducing carbon emissions is not only about the environment. It is also about the economy,” he said.
Ângela Kallhauge, representative of CPLC, emphasized that the entity aims to join forces around the world to advocate in favor of carbon pricing and communicate the initiative as effectively as possible: “The commitment that the private sector exerts alongside the public sector, facilitating joint actions, is commendable. This is how CPLC works: together, through dialogue.”
