Brazilian companies publish a letter of commitment at COP26 indicating a progressive increase in climate ambition, according to the Paris Agreement

Brazilian companies from different segments published last Tuesday, 9^th, at the COP26, in Glasgow, a document in which they commit to the adoption of a more ambitious climate agenda capable of keeping alive the goal of 1.5ºC, the highest temperature increase possible for the planet according to scientists, in order to avoid the point of no return for the climate. Entitled “Business Proposals and Recommendations for the Brazilian NDC”, and organized by Ethos Institute – Business and Social Responsibility, the document is signed by the companies Aché, Ambiensys Gestão Ambiental LTDA, Green4T, ICTS, JLL, Natura & CO, OEC, Servmar Serviço Técnico Ambientais LTDA, SPIC Brasil, and Synergia Consultoria Socioambiental.

The publishing took place during the panel “Raising the climate ambition of the Brazilian NDC and paths to decarbonization”, which included directors from three companies – Natura &CO (Denise Hills), Marfrig (Paulo Pianez) and Norsk Hydro (Domingos Campos) –, in addition to the governors Paulo Câmara, from Pernambuco, Mauro Mendes, from Mato Grosso, and the vice-president of the Chamber of Deputies and rapporteur of law project 528/2021, which aims to regulate the carbon credit market in Brazil, Marcelo Ramos.

According to the document signed by the companies, which is the result of discussions held throughout 2021 within the Ethos Institute’s Environment Working Group, this initiative has the differential of indicating the composition of “a dynamic ecosystem of action, where the proponent companies collaborate and help to build a network to guarantee the rights to quality of life and avoidance of the climatic point of no return.”

With regard to greenhouse gas emissions, the signatory companies undertake not only to measure and reduce their emissions in order to increase their energy efficiency, aiming at zero emissions by 2030, but also to annually disclose their results. In addition, the companies commit to eliminate products originating from deforestation or illegal exploitation from their production and commercialization networks and develop decarbonization plans aiming at “a fair transition, promotion of green jobs and income to the population”.

According to Cauê Borges Maia, responsible for Environment at OEC, the signing of the document reiterates the company’s commitment to the climate agenda. “We understand that the productive sector only has to win with the country and its companies becoming a reference in initiatives for decarbonization and facing climate change. It is visible the redirection of the engineering projects that each day demand more priority for the good performance of their emissions”, he says. The climate agenda is not new to the construction company. For 8 consecutive years, OEC has been awarded the Gold Seal of the GHG Protocol, a tool used by companies and governments to understand, quantify and manage greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Among the more than 100 companies that received the Gold Seal, OEC was the only one in the heavy construction sector.

Besides “supporting actions to conserve the biomes” in which they operate, the companies commit to “establishing and strengthening” a low-carbon economy. Among the measures listed in this regard are the insertion in its investment base of “carbon pricing and value chains to reduce emissions” and the promotion of internal studies on the carbon market and regulation of carbon credits, with the objective of “providing more legal and tax security to companies that invest in projects and/or compensation.

The document signed by the entrepreneurs also reveals a concern with the transparency of value chains. Among the measures taken are “guaranteeing the traceability of the production chains and ensuring the transparency of the impacts of its actions on society. To that end, commit to maintain closer relationships with their supply chains and encourage the “adoption of commitments and metrics to reduce emissions,” in addition to adopting policies that promote “mitigation and adaptation to climate change in their direct operations.

In their letter of “proposals and recommendations,” the companies also reveal their concern with “sociobiodiversity”. The term translates into 11 action points, among which is the elimination of illegal deforestation in its production chains, the promotion of business models that value the standing forest and investment in research and development for the sustainable use of natural resources, fostering the bio-economy and nature-based solutions, “recognizing and valuing the knowledge of traditional and indigenous communities – native and traditional peoples.

In its final part, the document makes a series of “recommendations to the Brazilian government”, divided by themes such as “Greenhouse Gas Emissions”, “Enforcement and Transparency”, “Communication and Education”, and “Solid Waste”.

Ethos Institute – Business and Social Responsibility

Ethos Institute of Business and Social Responsibility is an Oscip (Civil Society Organization of Public Interest) whose mission is to mobilize, raise awareness and help companies manage their businesses in a socially responsible manner, making them partners in the construction of a fair and sustainable society.

Created in 1998 by a group of entrepreneurs and executives from private sector, the Ethos Institute is a hub for organizing knowledge, exchanging experiences, and developing tools to help companies analyze their management practices and deepen their commitment to social responsibility and sustainable development.

To download the document, click here.
Learn more: www.climabrasil.org.br