The National Policy on Climate Change (PNMC)
During the Fifteenth Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in December 2009 in Copenhagen, Brazil announced its voluntary targets for GHG emissions reduction. Their National Policy on Climate Change (PNMC) commits to an expected reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions of 36.1% to 38.9% (Art. 12, Law n. 12187-2009) in relation to a historical average calculated by sector and projected to 2020. The emissions reduction targets are mainly focused on land use change and deforestation activities, Brazil´s main sources of emissions.
These targets were intended to be achieved through the implementation of the sectorial plans, as follows: a) Action Plan to Prevent and Control Deforestation in the Amazon (PPCDAm); b) Action Plan to Prevent and Control Deforestation and Fire in Cerrado (PPCerrado); c) Ten Year Plan for Energy Expansion (PDE); d) Plan for Low Carbon Emissions in the Agriculture Sector (Plano ABC); e) Plan to Reduce Emissions from Steel (Plano da Siderurgia); f) Transportation (Plano de Transporte), Industry and Mining, (Plano da Indústria e da Mineração) Health (Plano da Saúde) and Pisciculture (Plano da Piscicultura).
However, the new Brazilian government has decided not to move forward with these sectoral plans. They see the plans led by different ministries as too fragmented and ineffective. The new government has issued a draft document for implementing the National Policy on Climate Change that integrates the approaches that were put forward by the different sectors. The government has made the new draft integrated plan open for public comment through June of 2017. They expect to finalize a new integrated plan by the end of this year.
Learn More
Sources in Portuguese
Ministry of Environment news page – call for contribution and deadline extension. http://www.mma.gov.br/clima/ndc-do-brasil
WRI Brazil blog post on opening of public consultation on the NDC implementation strategy by the Ministry of Environment http://wribrasil.org.br/pt/blog/2016/12/consulta-publica-ndc-brasileira
Instituto Akatu – Brazilian NGO focusing on consumption and environment – post on consultation http://www.akatu.org.br/Temas/Mudancas-Climaticas/Posts/Governo-inicia-dialogo-com-sociedade-brasileira-sobre-metas-do-clima
Sources in English
Science Magazine article http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/09/brazil-s-climate-targets-draw-lukewarm-reviews
WRI blog assessment of Brazil´s INDC by WRI Brazil climate team http://www.wri.org/blog/2015/09/closer-look-brazils-new-climate-plan-indc
NRDC brief on Brazil´s NDCs https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/paris-climate-conference-Brazil-IB.pdf
Article by the Climate Observatory translated into English. http://www.observatoriodoclima.eco.br/en/brasil-registra-meta-para-paris/