The Brazilian Climate Conundrum - Hero or Villain?
- When?
- Thursday 16 December 2010, 13:00:00
- Where?
- 45A AZ 04
- Open to:
- Staff, Public, Students
- Speaker:
- Tim Cowman
The globally accepted association between Brazil and the Environment is often a negative one, with Amazon deforestation an overriding theme.
On the ground, reality in this vast and important nation is far from as simple. Often cast as a villain Brazil in fact has a low carbon energy matrix that many a country strives for, a fully functioning 40 year old biofuels programme and is the third most important host of carbon reduction projects through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).
Though all is not rosy in this South American garden as its position of fourth in the table of global greenhouse gas emitting nations testifies. Deforestation remains responsible for over 75% of the CO2 emissions and a severe loss of biodiversity is the result of the majority of the country's ecosystems being under threat. Whether or not Brazil is a hero or villain, it is clear that the world must step up efforts to engage further with this BRIC nation. The country could hold the key to any global climate change agreement and will be an essential element to any potential solutions for deforestation and biodiversity loss. In addition as the world looks increasingly towards the financial market for environmental solutions many of the resulting issues will be played out within the hot spots of this country. As the worlds fifth largest nation containing the world's largest river, 30% of the world's remaining forest within the Amazon Basin, the largest number of mammal, freshwater fish and plant species and over one-fifth of the world’s fresh water there is no doubt as to why Brazil is being touted as the World’s first environmental super power.
Tim Cowman Presentation (3620.29KB - Requires Adobe Reader)
