Brazil is at a crucial moment in addressing the impacts of the climate crisis on water. Reduced water availability, increasing scarcity in vulnerable regions, and persistent inequalities in access to sanitation reinforce the urgency of structural solutions.
According to data from the National Water and Basic Sanitation Agency (ANA), the discussions reinforced data presented in the concept note, which shows that Brazil already withdraws more than 2,103.6 m³/s of water annually, destined for irrigation, urban supply, and industry, and that by 2040 regions such as the North, Northeast, and Midwest could face a reduction of up to 401% in water availability. Social problems exacerbate the scenario, since 44 million people still live without access to potable water and more than 44% of the population lacks sewage collection.
In this context, CEBDS officially presented, during COP 30 in Belém, Pará, the Brazilian Business Commitment to Water Security, an initiative co-created by more than 25 companies to strengthen the country's climate adaptation and water resilience.
The Commitment:
Released on November 11, 2025At 2 pm, in the Pará Pavilion, in a panel that brought together experts, leading companies and representatives of the public sector, the commitment establishes five goals for the period from 2026 to 2030.
The objective is to mobilize the private sector for consistent actions aligned with public policies and SDGs 6 and 13. The goals include:
- Integrate the topic of water into the business strategy and report management indicators annually.
- Support at least one collective water security program or project in priority basins.
- Increase critical supplier engagement in water protection practices by 5 percent.
- Conduct a Water Footprint analysis and define reduction targets based on the results.
- Achieve a positive water balance in at least one basin with medium or high risk by 2032.
These goals were developed to be accessible to companies of different sizes and sectors, encouraging a just, collaborative, and evidence-based ecological transition.
The companies participating in the Brazilian Business Commitment to Water Security are: Acciona, Ajinomoto, Ambev, Ambipar, Arcadis, Axia Energia, Boticário, Braskem, Caixa Econômica Federal, Caramuru, Citrosuco, Eneva, FS Bioenergia, Fundação Grupo Boticário, Grupo Águas do Brasil, GS Inima, Klabin, Natura, Neoenergia, Nexa Sources, Norflor, Norte Energia, Nutrien, Petrobras, Porto do Açu, Rumo, Seara, Suzano, Total Energies, Tractebel Engie, Unilever and Vale.
Download the Brazilian Business Commitment to Water Security
The complete Commitment document is available for consultation and sharing. It brings together the five strategic goals, the construction methodology, the technical criteria, and the list of participating companies. The material was produced in co-creation with the members of the CEBDS Water Thematic Chamber and presents practical guidelines for organizations from different sectors to advance in their journeys of climate adaptation and efficient water management.
👉 Download the PDF of the Brazilian Business Commitment to Water Security here.
Launch on panel at COP 30
The panel "Companies for Water Security: the role of the private sector in accelerating climate adaptation in Brazil," moderated by Juliana Lopes, director of Nature and Society at CEBDS, presented complementary perspectives on water management, conservation, public policies, and social inclusion.
The following people participated in the debate:
- Luiz Talarico, Sustainability Director at Ambev
- Sarita Severien, Climate Change Manager at Suzano
- Larissa Rego, Director of ANA
- Luana Pretto, Executive President of the Trata Brasil Institute
The companies presented examples of collaborative projects, basin monitoring, restoration of degraded areas, community actions, and innovation strategies to achieve a positive water balance. Public and civil society institutions reinforced the need to integrate business efforts with national goals for universal sanitation and water resource policies.
About CEBDS
The Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS) is a non-profit civil association that has been promoting sustainable development in Brazil since 1997, through partnerships with governments and civil society, in addition to disseminating the most current concepts and practices on the subject. The voice of the business sector, CEBDS brings together more than 110 of the largest business groups in the country, in addition to being the Brazilian representative of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), which is present in 36 countries and has 200 member companies worldwide.
