The executive director of COP30, Ana Toni, stated this Friday (24) that the license granted by the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) to Petrobras to begin exploratory research operations in the Equatorial Margin does not affect the credibility of Brazil’s presidency at the COP. According to her, the license should encourage a mature debate on the topic.
“I don’t think it directly affects the credibility, the legitimacy of the COP presidency because these contradictions that we are experiencing in Brazil, all other countries are also experiencing”, he said when participating in the Meeting with the International Press promoted by the Foreign Press Association (AIE).
According to her, the license will enable a broader debate with society about the use of fossil fuels such as oil.
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“We have a deforestation problem, it is our biggest source of emissions. We faced that problem, we debated with society, we have public policies, there is a path to end deforestation. This debate about energy in Brazil has never been so mature, compared to what has already been about deforestation and forests. And I am very happy that we are finally having an increasingly mature debate about what energy matrix we want for Brazil, what society wants”, he argued.
License
On the eve of the 30th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP30), which takes place in November, in Belém, Ibama granted Petrobras the license to begin exploratory research operations in the Equatorial Margin, in the sedimentary basin of Foz do Amazonas, a region located in the North of the country, identified as a new pre-salt due to its oil potential.
The measure was criticized by environmental organizations, indigenous people, quilombolas, artisanal fishermen, among others, who claim technical flaws in the licensing process and warn of environmental risks.
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Exploration is defended by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who this Friday said that Brazil will use resources obtained from oil to invest in the energy transition. According to him, the large amount of money obtained from fossil fuels is what will help Petrobras stop being an oil company and become an energy company.
Asked whether Brazil will have to defend itself against other countries for encouraging the exploration of fossil resources while the global goal, defined at COP28, is to promote an energy transition and move away from oil, gas and coal, Ana Toni says she believes the country does not need to do this.
“I don’t think Brazil needs to defend itself, to tell the truth. It’s a sovereign decision of the Brazilian government,” he said. “On the contrary, I think Brazil is very well positioned in terms of coherence on climate change.”
The executive director also said that Brazil complies with the obligations established in the Paris Agreement – an international treaty adopted in 2015, which aims to limit global warming and its impacts through the cooperation of countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“Brazil has been complying with all its obligations under the Paris Agreement, it has been openly and publicly facing its biggest challenges in a transparent manner, such as the issue of deforestation, and how we will also face the energy transition”, he defended.
And he added: “This debate will be at our COP and I hope that all countries face their contradictions and challenges, in a transparent way, just as we are doing here in Brazil”.
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International scenario
Regarding participation in the COP, Ana Toni said that so far 163 delegations have been accredited and 132 have already had their accommodation guaranteed. “This number is very high and from now on I’m sure the rest will also be able to get their accommodation,” he said.
The executive director also commented on the impacts of the international scenario on the climate negotiations that will take place at the Conference. “There are military wars, trade wars that are happening all over the world, which will certainly affect COP30 because no convention is a bubble, it is affected by the geopolitics we have,” he said.
Among the impacts is the announcement of the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. “This is obviously very striking, this has happened in the past, but now we are seeing a much stronger position on the climate of the United States nationally and internationally”, he highlights.
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According to Ana Toni, President Lula should reinforce the invitation to participate in the COP to the President of the United States, Donald Trump, if they meet at the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and for the meeting of East Asian leaders (EAS), in Malaysia.
“I am sure that President Lula will once again reinforce the invitation for President Trump to come to the COP,” he said. “If they come, they will be treated very well. Logically they are parties to the Paris Agreement, the Climate Convention and will be treated like any other negotiator.”
