2015 Climate Conference: Brazilian Government Doesn't Expect That Meeting in Paris Will Reach Objective

09/25/2015 - 10h12

On the eve of presenting the proposal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that it will take to the Paris Climate Conference in November, the Brazilian government says that "you cannot expect" to obtain, at the meeting, the cuts necessary to keep global warming at a maximum of 2ºC or 35.6ºF compared to the pre-industrial era.

Until now, nearly 60 of the 196 countries that will participate in the COP-21 have presented their INDCs (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions). Among these are the European Union, the United States, Russia and China.

Specialists, however, estimate that, based on what has been presented up to now, it will be hard to reach the 2ºC or 35.6ºF goal. This is also already clear to the Brazilian government.

For the Brazilian government, the agreement to come out of Paris will be a "strong political signal to all governments".

"We will see everyone's cards. At the same time, this is provoking very strong political mobilization in various sectors of society", Carlos Klink, Secretary for Climate Change at the Ministry of Environment told Folha.

Klink, however, dodged the question when asked if the commitment that President Dilma Rousseff will present during the United Nations summit on Sustainable Development will include a numerical target for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

For Klink, the greatest obstacle to reaching a goal for the reduction of gas emissions is getting all sectors to "understand the new direction that we are being presented".

"The issue of climate change is not just environmental; it is also a new direction for the economic, social and environmental development of the country", he said.

Translated by SUGHEY RAMIREZ

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