It is my duty to thank the Government of Mexico for the exceeding hospitality we have received in this wonderful Cancun.
On behalf of President Lula, I bring the best wishes to President Calderon for the success of this Conference. On behalf of my delegation, I thank Ms. Patricia Espinoza for her endeavors to organize COP-16.
We arrived at Cancun with the firm commitment to contribute to the best possible result of this meeting.
Mr. President,
I want to take this opportunity to reiterate the commitment of my government to sustainable development. It is not mere rhetoric. On the contrary, it is translated into public policies in its three pillars: the social, economic and environmental dimensions.
In the last several years, Brazil has broken the common assertion that economic development would always be accompanied by an increase of emissions. Brazil has shown that economic growth, social justice and environmental protection are not just compatible but can be a development strategy.
In the last decade the extreme poverty in the Brazilian population was reduced by 70%. In the same period the deforestation rate decreased over 75%.
This year alone, Brazilian GDP is expected to grow over 7.5% and deforestation has never been so low since weve started to monitor back in the 80s.
This reduction of emissions from deforestation in Brazil over the last five years is the biggest contribution worldwide to mitigation of greenhouse gases emissions.
Mr. President,
Although deforestation is the major source of emissions of Brazil, we are committed to reduce emissions in all sectors. Last year, my government set up a volunteer economy-wide target to reduce emissions between 36.1 and 38.9% by 2020 compared to a reference scenario of business as usual.
This target was incorporated in the National Policy on Climate Change which our Congress turned into a piece of legislation. It represents a reduction of emissions in comparison to 2005 levels recently reported in the National Communication to the UNFCCC.
Plans to reduce emissions in different economic sectors are being developed in consultation with the civil society in the areas of energy, agriculture and in the steel industry. In total, 12 sectorial plans will be implemented by the end of 2011.
This sense of responsibility did not hinder our economy. On the contrary, today Brazil is an emerging economy and was able to show resilience to the world financial crisis.
Moreover, we have been able to create South-South cooperation programs to transfer technologies that contribute to fostering sustainable development such as the forest monitoring systems, including satellite data and imagery.
I am happy to announce that today President Lula signed the Decree of utmost importance.
It sets the 2020 reference scenario of national emissions, thus establishing the absolute voluntary emissions target for Brazil for that year. It also determines that Brazil will publicize an estimation of its greenhouse gases emissions on an annual basis.
Together with the Amazon Fund and the Climate Change Fund, this decree sets a new cornerstone to implement the UNFCCC principles in Brazil
Mr. President,
Under the spell of the natural beauty of Cancun, we are hopeful that the discussions we've had until now in this COP will stimulate parties to act with wisdom and show political will so that we are able to reach here decisions that pave the way for our common future in a fully sustainable world and the ultimate goal of the convention.
We wait for you in Rio +20 in 2012.
Redes Sociais