Brazil reaffirms stricter greenhouse gas emission reduction targets

Brazil is reinstating stricter greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets announced in 2015 under the Paris climate agreement. The country's newly formed climate change committee (CIM) issued a decree revoking changes to Brazil's 2020 nationally determined contribution (NDC), made during the government of former president Jair Bolsonaro.

The previous NDC raised emissions levels of the 2005 base year to 2.8bn t CO2e t of CO2e from 2.1bn t CO2e, following a methodological change to the emissions inventory. With higher base-year emissions, Brazil's 2030 target net emissions increased to 1.8bn t CO2e from 1.2bn t CO2e.

The commissions' decision means Brazil will once again have a target of net emissions of 1.2bn t CO2e for 2030, a 43pc reduction from 2005 levels. The climate change committee, which includes representatives from 18 government ministries, has launched five decrees as Brazil works to bolster its image ahead of the Cop 28 meeting at the end of the year.