Brazil and the Global Climate Agenda: Strategies, Progress, and Challenges in a Warming World

This article explores the historical and current landscape of climate change discussions worldwide and in Brazil, emphasizing the greenhouse effect’s critical role in sustaining life and the harmful impacts resulting from the rise in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions since the Industrial Revolution. The creation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) laid the foundation for global agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. Brazil has played a key role in these negotiations, adopting voluntary and legal commitments to mitigate emissions, particularly through the National Policy on Climate Change (PNMC). Major emitting sectors include energy, agriculture, land use, and waste. Efforts to reduce deforestation in the Amazon and Cerrado biomes have significantly contributed to emissions reductions. The text presents Brazil’s primary environmental laws, institutional frameworks, and sectoral action plans aimed at fostering a lowcarbon economy. While important progress has been made, the country still faces challenges in balancing economic growth with climate justice and environmental conservation. The upcoming COP30 in Belém will be critical for reinforcing Brazil’s leadership in global climate governance and advancing strategies to limit global warming to 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels.