Brazil

Key Statistics

Cumulative CO2 Emissions from Energy (1990-2005)

Global Rank

19th
Per Capita Global Rank

106th
Percent Global total

1.21%
Tons Per Person
24.6T

Kyoto Goals and Status

Kyoto Target, Compared to 1990

N/A
Emissions Change (1990-2007)

+47%

Key Negotiators

Map

Copenhagen Positions

Long Term Temperature Goal

2 Degrees Celsius
2020 Target
2050 Target
Annex I 2020 Target

At least 20% by 2017, 40-50% by 2022

Historical and Projected Data

1990 2007 2020 2030
Polluter Rank–Per Capita (Annual)1 83rd 74th*
Polluter Rank–Gross (Annual)2 10th 7th
Total Annual GHG Emissions (CO2e, millions)3 689.9Mt 1,014.1Mt*
Percent of Global Emissions4 2.3% 2.69%
Tons of CO2 Per Person (Annual)5 4.6T 5.4T
Percent of World Population6 2.86% 2.93% 2.92% 2.9%
Population (thousands) and Rank7 151,170/5th 193,918/5th 222,607/5th 240,172/5th
C02 Emissions from Energy Use (CO2e, millions) 195.4Mt8 391Mt9 541Mt10 633Mt11
C02 Emissions from Land Use Change & Forestry (CO2e, millions)12 1,955.6Mt
Responsibility and Capacity Index13 (Percent of Global) 1.7% 1.7%
G-20 Low Carbon Competitive Index14 (Rank/Index) #9/.56
  1. Climate Analysis Indicators Tool (CAIT) Version 6.0. (Washington, DC: World Resources Institute, 2009). GHG emissions from C02, CH4, N20, PFCs, HFC, SF6, excluding Land-Use Change & Forestry ↩
  2. Ibid ↩
  3. Ibid ↩
  4. Ibid ↩
  5. Ibid ↩
  6. U.S. Census Bureau, International Data Base (IDB) ↩
  7. Ibid ↩
  8. CAIT, 1990 CO2 Annual Emissions from Energy ↩
  9. CAIT, 2007 Projected CO2 Emissions from Energy Greenhouse Gas Emission Projections, using EIA Reference Case Data Set. ↩
  10. CAIT, 2020 Projected CO2 Emissions from Energy Greenhouse Gas Emission Projections, using EIA Reference Case Data Set. ↩
  11. CAIT, 2030 Projected CO2 Emissions from Energy Greenhouse Gas Emission Projections, using EIA Reference Case Data Set. ↩
  12. CAIT ↩
  13. The Greenhouse Development Rights Framework, The Right to Development in A Climate Constrained World (pdf), p.6, September 2008. ↩
  14. G20 Low Carbon Competitiveness Report. (pdf) ↩

International Climate Policy

As one of the most populous countries in the world and the largest source of GHG emissions from tropical deforestation, Brazil occupies a key role among developing countries in defining international efforts to address climate protection. Brazil also often plays a leading role in driving the negotiation process forward among developing countries, as evidence currently by Brazil’s  Luiz Alberto Figueiredo Machado serving as Vice Chair of Convention Track, and Brazil is also coordinating G77 position on Mitigation.

REDD & Ecosystem Services

With half of tropical deforestation between 2000-2005 occurring in the Brazilian Amazon, deforestation is estimated to be more than 75% of annual C02 emissions.   Brazil will play a pivotal role in how emissions from tropical deforestation will be addressed under a Copenhagen Agreement through a REDD mechanism. Differently from proposals put forward by many other tropical forest countries, Brazil has not supported a tropical forest protection mechanism attached to global carbon markets, instead proposing the creation of a global fund financed by developed countries to support efforts to protect tropical forest, including payment for the ecoystem services these forests are providing to the atmosphere. At least part of the reason behind Brazil’s preference for a fund based approach has been that they do not wish to provide cheap carbon credits to the U.S. and Europe while they are still are making investment in coal and other high carbon forms of energy.

Brazil recently pledged to reduce deforestation 80% by 2020, which would represent a reduction of 4.8 B tons of Co2, and has established a Amazon Fund to support implementation of this plan, potentially serving as a model for a fund based REDD mechanism, with goal of raising $21B.  Norway has committed to contributing $1B to the Amazon Fund through 2015.

Negotiation Bloc:  G-77 & China
Participant in: Major Economies Forum (MEF), G20

Recent Negotiation News

Brazil Eyes Deeper Cuts (Oct 27, 2009)

Government/NGO/Policy Links

Brazil Ministry of Environment

National Communication Submitted to UNFCCC (2004)

Vitae Civilis (NGO)

Adopt a Negotiator: Figueiredo Machado

“Brazilian Proposal” Brazil was one of the first countries to put forward a detailed methodology for how reduction commitments could be determined based on historical responsibility and capacity.  Tabled initially during the Kyoto Protocol negotiations, the “Brazilian Proposal” has continued to remain part of the discussion for how emission obligations should be distributed. See  UNFCCC SBSTA  report on Brazilian Proposal.

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