December 1, 2023

350.org responds to President Lula’s speech at COP28 and Brazil possibly joining OPEC

GLOBAL – President Lula’s speech today at the UN climate summit in Dubai cited climate justice, equitable urgent financing from the Global North to the Global South, as well as limiting fossil fuel emissions. This is in strict contradiction with Brazil’s lack of formal commitments on just renewable energy transition policies and projects, increasing investment in oil and gas production and the possibility of joining OPEC. 

Eager to project itself as a climate influencer, Brazil has so far escaped heavy criticism for its rhetorical gymnastics, but not even the most experienced contortionist can sustain itself in such an unstable position for long. Brazil will never achieve environmental leadership or a historic COP30 in the Amazon if the country does do not strive to untie the knot on the energy issue, internally and externally.

Peri Dias, 350.org Latin America representative at COP28: 

“President Lula’s speech today steered in the right direction by citing the need to urgently limit fossil fuels. However, Brazil needs to be clearer in its commitments and advocacy to phase out fossil fuel and scale up renewable energy if it wants to be the leader it sets out to be for COP30. Brazil needs to firmly push for the complete phase-out of oil, gas and coal in COP28’s final text. On the other hand, the announcement that Brazil could join OPEC hours before Lula’s speech exposed a contradiction between what Lula said and what his government has been doing in the energy area. Does the country want to be a climate leader or a fossil fuel-dependent State? It can’t be both at the same time.”

 

Media Contacts:

At COP28:
Kim Bryan / [email protected] / +44 7770 881503

Remote:
[email protected]

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