CNI and MDIC launch National Decarbonization Program at COP30 in Belém

The federal government launched this Monday (17), during COP30, in Belém, the National Industrial Decarbonization Strategy (ENDI), a structuring initiative that consolidates Brazil as a protagonist in the global climate agenda. The event was attended by the Vice President of the Republic and Minister of the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services (MDIC), Geraldo Alckmin, and the president of the Federation of Industries of the State of Pará (FIEPA), Alex Carvalho, as a representative of the National Confederation of Industry (CNI).

According to the president of FIEPA, ENDI marks a new milestone for the sustainable and competitive future of Brazilian industry. “The transition to a low-carbon economy is not just environmental: it is economic, technological, and strategic. Brazilian industry already has mature mitigation alternatives, such as biomass, energy efficiency, and circularity, and is preparing for emerging technologies such as green hydrogen, digitalization, artificial intelligence, and CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage),” stated Alex Carvalho.

The president of FIEPA emphasizes that ENDI is structured on four crucial pillars: innovation, R&D and human capital development, decarbonizing inputs and clean energy, stimulating demand for low-carbon products, and financing and incentives that guarantee productive inclusion.

Brazilian industry supports the strategy and reinforces the role of innovation.

One of the key moments of the event was the signing of the Engagement Letter between CNI (National Confederation of Industry), MDIC (Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade) and energy-intensive sectors of industry, a document that calls on the sector to contribute to the consolidation of a modern industrial policy, committed to sustainable development, the advancement of technological innovation and the construction of a low-carbon economy.

Carvalho, who participated in the signing of the document, emphasized that ongoing dialogue is fundamental to improving and implementing the decarbonization strategy. "Only through continuous cooperation will it be possible to consolidate an innovative, competitive, and increasingly less carbon-intensive industry."

“In this sense, we must highlight the work of the CNI, with initiatives such as the Sustainable Business COP (SB COP), a global alliance of companies committed to the climate agenda, responsible for preparing the Legacy Report, which presents concrete paths to transform the Amazon into a global hub for sustainable development, with the potential to add R$ 40 billion to GDP and generate more than 300,000 jobs,” pointed out Carvalho, who also participated in a meeting with industrial leaders of the Sustainable Business COP (SB COP) of the CNI.

Geraldo Alckmin highlights historic opportunity

During the event, Alckmin stated that the country is experiencing “a historic opportunity” to lead the green transition, combining environmental preservation, industrial innovation, and international competitiveness. According to him, curbing emissions is a civilizational imperative. In the Brazilian case, this trajectory begins with tackling deforestation, the country's main source of emissions. “One hectare deforested and burned emits about 300 tons of carbon. The Lula government's commitment is to eliminate illegal deforestation by 2030, and we have already reduced it by 50% this year,” he highlighted.

The government's environmental strategy gains momentum with the launch of the Tropical Forests Forever Fund (TFFF), a program presented at COP, aimed at attracting international investment for forest conservation and restoration. The goal is to restore degraded areas and boost bioeconomy production chains in the Amazon. "We are the state of açaí, cupuaçu, and Brazil nuts. The standing forest is an economic, cultural, and technological asset," said Alckmin.

The Vice President of the Republic also defended an industrial policy based on added value, recalling that science and technology transform simple raw materials into products of very high value. “A kilo of pork costs around R$ 20. But a heart valve made with porcine pericardial membranes is worth R$ 70,000. That's industry, that's innovation.”

In this scenario, the New Industry Brazil program, which integrates sustainability, productivity, and exports, gains centrality. Among the mechanisms announced is the granting of credit at negative real interest rates to stimulate research, innovation, and expansion of the national productive base. "There are sectors that only survive if they export, because they depend on scale. We need to support this vocation," he emphasized.

The decarbonization agenda is also advancing with the Mover - Green Mobility Program, which encourages the automotive industry to produce cleaner, more efficient, and more competitive vehicles. Brazil is expanding its leading role by maintaining gasoline with 30% ethanol – a unique proportion in the world – and increasing the percentage of biodiesel in diesel to 15%. "This reduces emissions and strengthens a sector in which Brazil is already a global leader," stated the vice-president.

Another key point is the strength of Brazil's electricity matrix: 85% renewable, the cleanest among major economies. For Alckmin, this competitive advantage must be connected to a robust industrial strategy integrated into the territory. "Brazil responsibly assumes its role in the world. Our goal is clear: to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050."

Convergence between society, industry and government

The progress of the National Decarbonization Program also resonates with initiatives being developed in the state of Pará, such as the COP+ Journey, a multi-sectoral movement led by FIEPA. Created in the Amazon and built collaboratively, the COP+ Journey anticipated pillars now adopted by the federal government, such as combating illegal deforestation, forest restoration, the bioeconomy as an engine of innovation, the integration between industry and sustainability, and the creation of added value from Amazonian resources.

With nearly two years of activity and more than 30,000 people mobilized in dozens of actions, the movement demonstrates that the climate transition needs to be territorialized, participatory, and capable of generating real development for those who live in the Amazon. "By aligning efforts with the government and the industrial sector, the COP+ Journey reinforces that the Amazon is a central part of the new Brazilian economy, an economy that needs to be clean, innovative, and based on sustainable value chains," concluded the president of FIEPA.

Photo: Augusto Coelho (CNI)