Brazil
United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development
14th Session
New York, May 10th and 12th, 2006
Statement of the Executive Secretary of the Brazilian Ministry of the
Environment, Mr. Claudio Langone
Panel: Path to the Future
Mr. Claudio Langone
Mr. Chairman:
It is with great satisfaction that I note the increasing participation in
this commission of ministers from areas other than the environment.
Increasingly, environmental issues interface with other fields and the
frank dialog that this commission proposes is a unique opportunity for
interested parties to deal with comprehensive subjects on an
institutional level.
The issues that are the subject of our discussions are matters of
great complexity, and the policies adopted in each one of these areas
? which are comprehensive in nature ? have an immediate impact on
the daily lives of the world?s population. These policies seek to
eradicate poverty, change unsustainable production and consumption
practices, and promote human health. Thus, I would like to consider
these four main themes in an integrated fashion, by focusing my
remarks on the issue of biofuels.
The use of biomass as an energy source has created great
opportunities to confront major socio- environmental, technological
and economic challenges. Because Brazil is especially aware of
these challenges, I believe that our experience, especially insofar as
biofuels are concerned, can contribute significantly in creating
development models that give the appropriate weight to economic
development, social inclusion and environmental conservation.
The available data regarding global climate change leaves no doubt
as to the need for concrete initiatives to change the world energy
paradigm. We can no longer afford to delay increasing significantly
the percentage of renewable resources used in energy generation.
For Annex One Countries of the Convention on Climate Change, this
represents a major opportunity for forming creative partnerships and
for demonstrating solidarity with developing nations in the area of
biofuels.
The majority of the developing nations have considerable potential to
help reduce the emissions of the developed countries, be it as
suppliers of ethanol and biodiesel or as partners in the
implementation of CDM projects that use biomass. By exploring these
possibilities we reaffirm our commitments to the principle of common
but differentiated responsibilities that was consecrated in Rio de
Janeiro in 1992 -- a principle frequently praised but just as often
disregarded in many international forums.
Unfortunately, these opportunities have not been adequately
explored. Although there are no great technological barriers to
increased use of biofuels (Brazil is an excellent example of this)
unacceptable political and economic barriers persist and prevent the
increased use of renewable energy in the global energy network.
Thus, countries that, in principle, would have much to gain from the
use of such fuels (if nothing else, so that they may comply with their
national and international commitments) adopt internal economic
policies that discourage the adoption of energy options derived from
biomass.
These barriers are particularly inexplicable if we consider the impact
that the widespread adoption of biofuels would have in reducing
greenhouse gas emissions and atmospheric pollution and in
promoting technological and industrial development, job creation,
generation and redistribution of wealth and the closing of the social
divide, among others.
In Brazil, our experience over the last thirty years with biofuels as an
energy source, which began with the Ethanol Program and continues
today with the Brazilian Biodiesel program, illustrates the potential
that I am referring to. Flexfuel vehicles, which can operate on any
proportion of gasoline to ethanol, already represent 60% of new car
sales in Brazil.
In Brazil, these policies have resulted in the decrease in the
importation of oil and oil derivatives, reduced dependency on fuels
from other countries, significant job creation, income generation in
semi-arid regions, and the introduction of new crop combiations to
these areas. It is important to emphasize that these policies are
highly replicable in other countries.
However, in an environment of ever decreasing funding for
international cooperation, it is essential that we create effective tools
that facilitate south-south cooperation. There is no doubt as to the
positive results that can come from such a model of cooperation -- a
model by which countries that share similar economic, social and
environmental realities, can also share common solutions to common
problems. Still, the level of current cooperation between developing
countries is small, almost insignificant, in spite of the intensity with
which such a model is championed. There is much work to be done in
this area. The CSD can exercise a strategic role by promoting the
necessary synergy among the disparate and not always wellarticulated
initiatives that already exist.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have no doubt that the immense shortcomings in implementing the
majority of the multilateral environmental accords are much more a
symptom of lack of political will than a lack of financial or
technological resources.
In order to preserve the credibility of the multilateral system that we
belong to it is necessary that we overcome these shortcomings with
concrete actions.
Increasingly, we see that the use of renewable energy sources is a
development model that is proven to be sustainable. For Brazil, the
use of biofuels affords us a prime opportunity to deal in a
comprehensive manner with the themes of this commission, always
looking towards achieving the goals of diminishing the social divide
and promoting environmental conservation. My country is ready to be
part of this effort on both the national and international fronts.
And we are already working towards these goals.
Thank you very much.
14th Session
New York, May 10th and 12th, 2006
Statement of the Executive Secretary of the Brazilian Ministry of the
Environment, Mr. Claudio Langone
Panel: Path to the Future
Mr. Claudio Langone
Mr. Chairman:
It is with great satisfaction that I note the increasing participation in
this commission of ministers from areas other than the environment.
Increasingly, environmental issues interface with other fields and the
frank dialog that this commission proposes is a unique opportunity for
interested parties to deal with comprehensive subjects on an
institutional level.
The issues that are the subject of our discussions are matters of
great complexity, and the policies adopted in each one of these areas
? which are comprehensive in nature ? have an immediate impact on
the daily lives of the world?s population. These policies seek to
eradicate poverty, change unsustainable production and consumption
practices, and promote human health. Thus, I would like to consider
these four main themes in an integrated fashion, by focusing my
remarks on the issue of biofuels.
The use of biomass as an energy source has created great
opportunities to confront major socio- environmental, technological
and economic challenges. Because Brazil is especially aware of
these challenges, I believe that our experience, especially insofar as
biofuels are concerned, can contribute significantly in creating
development models that give the appropriate weight to economic
development, social inclusion and environmental conservation.
The available data regarding global climate change leaves no doubt
as to the need for concrete initiatives to change the world energy
paradigm. We can no longer afford to delay increasing significantly
the percentage of renewable resources used in energy generation.
For Annex One Countries of the Convention on Climate Change, this
represents a major opportunity for forming creative partnerships and
for demonstrating solidarity with developing nations in the area of
biofuels.
The majority of the developing nations have considerable potential to
help reduce the emissions of the developed countries, be it as
suppliers of ethanol and biodiesel or as partners in the
implementation of CDM projects that use biomass. By exploring these
possibilities we reaffirm our commitments to the principle of common
but differentiated responsibilities that was consecrated in Rio de
Janeiro in 1992 -- a principle frequently praised but just as often
disregarded in many international forums.
Unfortunately, these opportunities have not been adequately
explored. Although there are no great technological barriers to
increased use of biofuels (Brazil is an excellent example of this)
unacceptable political and economic barriers persist and prevent the
increased use of renewable energy in the global energy network.
Thus, countries that, in principle, would have much to gain from the
use of such fuels (if nothing else, so that they may comply with their
national and international commitments) adopt internal economic
policies that discourage the adoption of energy options derived from
biomass.
These barriers are particularly inexplicable if we consider the impact
that the widespread adoption of biofuels would have in reducing
greenhouse gas emissions and atmospheric pollution and in
promoting technological and industrial development, job creation,
generation and redistribution of wealth and the closing of the social
divide, among others.
In Brazil, our experience over the last thirty years with biofuels as an
energy source, which began with the Ethanol Program and continues
today with the Brazilian Biodiesel program, illustrates the potential
that I am referring to. Flexfuel vehicles, which can operate on any
proportion of gasoline to ethanol, already represent 60% of new car
sales in Brazil.
In Brazil, these policies have resulted in the decrease in the
importation of oil and oil derivatives, reduced dependency on fuels
from other countries, significant job creation, income generation in
semi-arid regions, and the introduction of new crop combiations to
these areas. It is important to emphasize that these policies are
highly replicable in other countries.
However, in an environment of ever decreasing funding for
international cooperation, it is essential that we create effective tools
that facilitate south-south cooperation. There is no doubt as to the
positive results that can come from such a model of cooperation -- a
model by which countries that share similar economic, social and
environmental realities, can also share common solutions to common
problems. Still, the level of current cooperation between developing
countries is small, almost insignificant, in spite of the intensity with
which such a model is championed. There is much work to be done in
this area. The CSD can exercise a strategic role by promoting the
necessary synergy among the disparate and not always wellarticulated
initiatives that already exist.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have no doubt that the immense shortcomings in implementing the
majority of the multilateral environmental accords are much more a
symptom of lack of political will than a lack of financial or
technological resources.
In order to preserve the credibility of the multilateral system that we
belong to it is necessary that we overcome these shortcomings with
concrete actions.
Increasingly, we see that the use of renewable energy sources is a
development model that is proven to be sustainable. For Brazil, the
use of biofuels affords us a prime opportunity to deal in a
comprehensive manner with the themes of this commission, always
looking towards achieving the goals of diminishing the social divide
and promoting environmental conservation. My country is ready to be
part of this effort on both the national and international fronts.
And we are already working towards these goals.
Thank you very much.
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