BRAZIL 2020
Brazil Taking the Lead
While virtually all the countries in the world either dither or vaguely commit themselves to reducing carbon emissions by 80% by 2050, the one country that seems poised to exert the leadership required is Brazil. Brazil already produces over 50% of all its energy from renewable sources, as opposed to 12% for the EU and 10% for the U.S. Its’ largest electric utility, Central Electric of Minas Gerais (CEMIG) generates 92% of its electricity from clean sources and was determined by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index as the best energy company in the world in 2007. Brazil’s use of ethanol for cars is the highest in the world. Globo TV, the largest media company in Brazil and the fourth largest in the world, has committed itself to dealing seriously with global warming and is developing a sustained public education campaign on climate change. This marks the first major corporation anywhere in the world to do so, certainly the first media company.
This kind of leadership is important because Brazil is not a small obscure country with little impact. It is one of the largest countries in the world, it is richly endowed with natural resources, its demographics are very similar to that of the world population, it is at peace with all its neighbors, its banks and its economy, though effected by the downturn in the global economy, are relatively stable and strong, and it contains the Amazon.
This is not to say that Brazil is already there. The government has shown little leadership on the issue of global warming and has tolerated, if not encouraged extensive clear cutting of the Amazon. There is also systemic exploitation of the general environment. But huge portions of Brazilian society are waking up and leaders in the Brazilian political, business and civil society sectors understand the urgency, are willing to take leadership, and are mobilizing around the ten year plan to green the Brazilian economy. All these reasons make Brazil an ideal nation to take the kind of leadership the world needs at this critical hour.
It is in recognition of the important role Brazil can potentially play in the global effort to stop climate change that State of the World Forum will launch its global 2020 campaign in Brazil August 4-7 in the city of Belo Horizonte, the capital of the state of Minas Gerais. The Forum of Climate Change of Minas Gerais pioneered the cooperation between business, academia, government and civil society on the issue of global warming in Brazil.
The Belo Horizonte Forum will launch the global 2020 Climate Leadership Campaign and the Brazil 2020 Campaign. It will also launch the Brazil Youth Climate Leadership Campaign, which is being organized by the University of Experience (UEXP), based in Curitiba.
Participating in the Forum will be international specialists from around the world who will join a growing coalition of public, private, and civil society groups committed to developing Brazilian leadership in the area of climate change and sustainability and to mobilize a Brazilian and global public education campaign around the imperative to green the world economy within ten years. To date, these groups include:
Anima Education
Association of Sales and Marketing Managers of Brazil (ADVB Sao Paulo)
Bahia TV Net
Belo Horizonte Tourism (BeloTur)
Board of Directors Merchants of Bahia (CDL Bahia)
Brazilian Association of the Hotel Industry (ABIH)
Brazilian Association of Textile Industry and Manufacture (ABIT)
Brazilian Chamber of Construction Industry (CBIC)
Brazilian Foundation for Sustaintable Development
Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA)
Brazilian Service of Support to Micro and Small Enterprises (SEBRAE)
Brazilian Association of Concessionaires Electric Energy (ABCE)
Business Leaders Forum
CDS de University of Brasília (UNBCDS)
Central Electric of Minas Gerais (CEMIG)
Commercial Association of Minas Gerais State (AC MINAS)
Ethical Markets
Federation of Industries of Minas Gerais State (FIEMG)
Federation of Industries of Paraná State (FIEPR)
Federation of Industries of the State of Bahia (FIEB)
Foundation of Sustaintable Amazon
Futura TV
Grupo ACCOR
International Association of Public Relations (IPRA)
Institute EcoDesenvolimento
Ministry of the Environment
Odebrecht Engeneering and Construction
Planetary Union
Roberto Marinho Foundation
Unimed
Union of Industry of Sugar and Alcohol in the State of Pernambuco (SINDACUCAR)
Union of Industry of Manufacture of Alcohol in the State of Minas Gerais (SIAMIG)
University of Experience (UEXP)
Brazil’s leadership could not be coming at a more critical juncture in human history. The time has come to discern deeply the implications of the approaching global catastrophe and take decisive action to align our lives and our communities with natural systems. All of us will suffer significantly for what humanity has already done, but if we act decisively and immediately, we may be able to successfully navigate through the turbulence that is coming and emerge out the other side having learned the most important lesson of our collective history, that we are of the earth, not simply on it, and only by living harmoniously with nature will we long survive.
For further information on the Brazil 2020 Climate Leadership Campaign, please go to brasil2020.com.br
