Lula was selected to participate in the COP30 negotiations and try to unlock topics of interest to the Brazilian government, such as climate adaptation
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defended this Wednesday, the 19th, that countries agree to create a map of the path to the end of the use of fossil fuels, even though there are no defined deadlines and that each one makes the roadmap according to their preferences.
Lula spoke to journalists in Belém, after a schedule of meetings with negotiators from different countries. Since the Leaders’ Summit that preceded COP30, the Brazilian president has defended that there be an agreement to build a roadmap for the energy transition.
“That’s why we raised the question of the road map, because we need to show society that we want, without imposing anything on anyone, without determining the deadline, that each country is in charge of determining the things it can do, within its time, within its possibilities, but that we are serious”, said the president.
Lula stated that he has the legitimacy to make the claim since Brazil is an oil-producing country. “And I say this very comfortably, because I’m from a country that has oil, I’m from a country that extracts 5 million barrels of oil per day. But I’m also from a country that uses more ethanol mixed in gasoline, I’m from a country that produces a lot of biodiesel”, stated Lula, also mentioning that the Brazilian energy matrix is mostly made up of clean energy.
Lula was selected to participate in the COP30 negotiations and try to unlock topics of interest to the Brazilian government, such as climate adaptation. Brazil, like other developing countries, is among the nations that suffer most from the effects of extreme events.
Throughout the day, Lula met with representatives from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, China, India, Venezuela, the European Union, Portugal, Germany, Nordic countries, Small Islands and Jamaica.
During his speech, the president also stated that he ended the day of meetings “so happy” that he was convinced that he will convince the president of the United States, Donald Trump, about global warming. The American withdrew his country from the Paris Agreement and did not participate in COP30.
“One day I will convince the president of the United States that the climate issue is serious and that green development is necessary,” said the president.
The president also said that he respects the sovereignty of each country and that decisions at the COP are made by consensus, but that nations can reach a common denominator. “We don’t want to impose anything, we just want to say: it’s possible. And, if it’s possible, let’s try to build it together”, he said.
Lula also once again defended that rich countries finance the measures taken by poorer nations to combat climate change. And he said that oil and mining companies also have to bear the costs.
*Estadão Content
