“Brasil leads by example”, states Marina Silva about the environmental agenda at the G20
During a presentation to civil society about the priorities of the Environmental and Climate Sustainability WG, Minister highlights main issues and reaffirms the country’s central role in raising pressing issues at the forum. Technical meetings of the group will be held on January 29 and 30, through videoconference
“Brasil is already leading by example: it is one of the countries that have a reasonably clean energetic matrix; it is confronting deforestation and facing the challenges of a low carbon agriculture”, stated Marina Silva, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, on the country’s capacity to present the urgency of measures against the climate crisis at the G20 this Friday (26). Her statement was delivered during the Environmental and Climate Sustainability Working Group's presentation to Brazilian civil society organizations.
The activity occurred in the context of the G20 Social, proposed by the Brazilian Presidency of the G20 to engage civil society in the high-level discussions of the member states. The groups priorities concentrate debates about emergency and preventive adaptation to extreme climate events; payment for ecosystemic services; the role of the oceans in climate control; and circular economy, which discusses the reduction of the use and reuse of materials.
“We want to count on the technical and scientific knowledge, the innovative ideas and the best practices and experiences of the entire Brazilian civil society in its most various sectors: economic, academic, traditional and indigenous peoples”- Marina Silva
"Brasil has historically honored its position of control and social engagement, which is one of the guidelines for the environmental agenda and, increasingly, of the government. President Lula makes a point in that our contribution to the G20 must reflect the contributions of the Brazilian civil society”, pondered Silva
Civil society engagement
The Minister stressed that combating the climate emergency must be understood as a transversal issue during the Brasil's mandate at the G20, one that translates into the creation of the Task Force for the Global Mobilization against Climate Change and the Bioeconomy Initiative, which will both be accompanied by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA, in Portuguese); she also highlighted that the engagement of civil society will be crucial in this context. “We want to count on the technical and scientific knowledge, the innovative ideas and the best practices and experiences of the entire Brazilian civil society in its most various sectors: economic, academic, traditional and indigenous peoples”, she indicated.
Marina Silva recognized the challenge posed by making an instance for civil society engagement run parallel to the G20, but defended that the degree of mobilization and commitment she has observed indicates that “it will work out”. “We want to be influenced and to dialogue with the Brazilian civil society to foster a greater participation of the Global South at the G20”, defended the dignitary responsible for Brasil's environmental portfolio.
“President Lula wishes to receive the contributions, criticism and the encouragement so that Brasil's contribution can constitute a legacy in terms of combating inequality and confronting climate change so that we can establish a new system regarding the work of multilateral agencies in which the countries of the Global South are still not rightfully represented”, pointed out the Minister.
Openness to dialog
The Secretary of Climate, Energy and the Environment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, also participated in the WG presentation to civil society. Five questions sent by NGO representatives that work with sustainability and climate issues were addressed during the event, which was transmitted and can be accessed through the MMA Youtube channel. The other questions will be answered and published on the Ministry's website. Contributions to the Working Group can also be sent by email (ascom@mma.gov.br).