Experts participating in CEBDS webinar, which you can check here, held this Wednesday (29) defend the approval of a regulatory framework for basic sanitation and a greater presence of companies in the River Basin Committees
Rio de Janeiro, April 29, 2020 – Greater participation of the private sector in water and sanitation services, as well as in River Basin Committees, is essential to unlock investments in new projects in the sector. These were the two main points highlighted by the experts participating in the first Webinar of the ReVisão 2050 debate series, by the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS), which took place today (29) and aims to plan and build a post-pandemic vision of the future for the country. The first meeting addressed issues related to Water and Sanitation, and had the participation of representatives of BRK Environmental, from the World Bank, the Trata Brasil Institute and the Manivela Project.
“The sanitation sector in Brazil has continental deficiencies. And it is clear that the government alone does not have the capacity to respond to the challenge of providing this type of service to everyone,” stated Marina Grossi, president of CEBDS.
A study by the Trata Brasil Institute reveals that more than 100 million people do not have sewage collection and 35 million Brazilians do not have access to the water network. It is estimated that the annual investment required to universalize the service by 2033, as foreseen in the National Basic Sanitation Plan, will be R$23.8 billion. And the current average annual investment in Brazil is around R$10 billion.
In this sense, the vote on Bill 4,162/2019, which is ready for processing in the Senate, is essential to advance this agenda because it proposes a new regulatory framework for greater involvement of private companies in the sector. “The model will only begin to change with the approval of the Bill that is in the Senate. This should be the next priority of the National Congress, because it will allow some ordering for the private sector's access to this type of service”, said Teresa Vernaglia, CEO of BRK Ambiental, who considers the sector as a potential locomotive for investments in the post-pandemic period, with investments of around R$20 billion in infrastructure and generation of jobs and income.
For Stela Goldenstein, representative in Brazil of the World Bank’s 2030 WRG (Water Resources Group), increasing the participation of companies in water resources management can also contribute. “The participation of companies in River Basin Committees is one of the paths that should be adopted, because these forums are where plans and public policies are decided. And, today, many of these plans lack efficient management,” she noted.
Édison Carlos, CEO of Instituto Trata Brasil, advocated a management shake-up to improve the quality of basic sanitation services in Brazil. “There is great potential to attract resources to sanitation, not only from domestic investors, but also from foreign investors. But with the rules we have today, this will not happen. The regulatory framework is essential in this regard.”
Stela Goldenstein, from the World Bank, also highlighted the importance of promoting profound changes in coordination on other issues not directly related to water and sewage, but with impacts on the sector, such as housing and land regularization.
Joyce Trindade, director of the Manivela Project, recalled that Brazil is a nation of slum dwellers, while inequality also poses risks to people’s lives, especially in the context of the pandemic. As an example, she presented data from the Rio de Janeiro City Hall that indicate confirmed cases and deaths in two neighborhoods in the city. “In Barra da Tijuca, a wealthier neighborhood, there are currently 247 confirmed cases and 12 deaths. In Campo Grande, on the outskirts of the city, there are 146 confirmed cases and 20 deaths,” she compared.
According to Marina Grossi, president of CEBDS, the business sector has been working to seek better management of water resources, both in their own operations and in the regions where they are located. “We have the support of 21 large business groups to the Brazilian Business Commitment to Water Security, with goals to be achieved by 2025”.
Schedule
Over the next two months, CEBDS will promote discussions on the resumption of business and long-term planning, revisiting the commitments defined in the document Visão Brasil 2050, launched at Rio+20 in 2012. In addition to Water and Sanitation, webinars are planned to discuss People, Finance, Food, Energy, Biodiversity and Forests, and Circular Economy, and think about the post-pandemic future. The full schedule and registration links can be accessed here.
ABOUT CEBDS
The Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS) is a non-profit civil association that promotes sustainable development through articulation with governments and civil society, in addition to disseminating the most current concepts and practices on the subject. Founded in 1997, it brings together around 60 of the largest business groups in the country, responsible for more than 1 million direct jobs. It represents in Brazil the network of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), which has almost 60 national and regional councils in 36 countries and 22 industrial sectors, in addition to 200 business groups that operate in all continents. More information: https://cebds.org/.
PRESS CONTACTS
imprensa@cebds.org | eduardonunes@altercomunicacao.com.br +55 21 99864.4245 (Eduardo Nunes)
debora@altercomunicacao.com.br | +55 21 98751-490221 (Debora Rolando)
