Brazil records biggest annual fall in emissions in 15 years: report

Brazil recorded its biggest annual drop in greenhouse gas emissions since 2009 last year, statistics released Monday showed, giving a boost to left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as he prepares to host U.N. climate talks.

Gross emissions in Latin America’s largest country fell 16.7 percent year-on-year, according to the Brazilian Climate Observatory, a network of environmental NGOs.

The reduction in emissions has been attributed to the success of Lula’s government in combating deforestation.

“The new data shows the impact of the federal government’s resumption of control of deforestation after a deliberate lack of control between 2019 and 2022,” the observatory said in a press release.

The remark referred to Lula’s far-right predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, a climate skeptic, under whose leadership illegal deforestation accelerated, particularly in the Amazon.

Lula defeated Bolsonaro in the October 2022 elections to win a third term.

It has committed to zero deforestation by 2030.

Since Lula’s return to the presidency, the rate of deforestation in the Amazon, the world’s largest tropical forest, has continued to decline.

Despite the good news on emissions, the observatory warned that Brazil’s economy was raising concerns about the government’s commitment to its climate goals.

It drew attention to Lula’s controversial support for a massive offshore oil project near the mouth of the Amazon River.

Last month, Petrobras began drilling for oil in the Foz de Amazonas region after winning a five-year environmental battle to gain permission to explore the area.

Lula insists that oil revenues will help finance the climate transition in Brazil.

Critics accuse him of a contradictory stance as he urges world leaders to step up the fight against climate change ahead of COP30 negotiations in the Amazon city of Belem from November 10-21.

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