Bruna Obadowski, for NINJA’s COP26 coverage

Brazilian Governors who are in Glasgow occupy the vacuum left by Jair Bolsonaro, who thought it was “strategic” not to participate in the 26th World Climate Conference. They try to change the negative image of Brazil, due to the dismantling of environmental policies and consequently, the performance of the government is the target of constant criticism from the group that participates in the COP26.

In an interview with MÍDIA NINJA’s team in Glasgow, the governor of the state of Espírito Santo and current president of the Green Brazil Consortium, Renato Casagrande (PSB) demanded effective actions from Bolsonaro government regarding environmental public policies in Brazil. He, who presented the Green Consortium at COP26, reinforced the need of putting pressure on the government so as to comply with the announced targets.

“Given the denialism, Brazil was pushed to assume the commitment, but there should be pressure to comply with such targets”, he reinforced when recalling the announcement made by the Brazilian entourage, which was not at all satisfactory to world and environmental leaders who are also attending the COP26. In the agreement, Brazil again committed to zero illegal deforestation between 2022 and 2028, after abandoning the Paris agreement signed in 2015.

“I helped build a proposal that the civil society is debating at the Conference, that people can be bolder, that Brazil can zero deforestation by 2030, that surely if there is a political decisiveness, it can be achieved”, he said.

With the mission of presenting the Governors Coalition for Climate (GCC) / Green Brazil Consortium, nine other Brazilian governors are participating in the conference in Scotland. In total, the Consortium is comprised of 22 governors.

About the goals of the consortium, he highlighted the importance for the states and for international articulations. “The first task of the consortium is to work within our states. If we want to work outside, we have to have credibility to have a recognised voice. The second is to help Brazil achieve its goals. The other is national and international articulation. It is one more voice for Brazil, the consortium has this role of helping in both the international and national debate”, he said.

About the environmental public policies in the state that he currently governs, he stressed that there are already ongoing projects to minimize the damages of climate change that devastate the Espirito Santo population, such as floods.

Another project mentioned by him, is the “Reflorestar“, an initiative of the Espirito Santo State Government that aims to promote the restoration of the hydrological cycle through the conservation and recovery of the forest cover, generating opportunities and income for rural producers, encouraging the adoption of sustainable land use practices. The goal is to recover 80,000 hectares by 2018 through restoration and conservation actions of native vegetation, avoiding deforestation and forest arrangements for sustainable use.

According to Casagrande, it is essential that other entities participate in the international debate, as well as in the construction of an opposition to the denialism of the federal government, which is increasingly distancing itself from environmental issues in Brazil.


The @MidiaNinja and @CasaNinjaAmazonia have special coverage of COP26. Follow the #ninjanacop on the networks!

A @MidiaNinja e a @CasaNinjaAmazonia realizam cobertura especial da COP26. Acompanhe a tag #ninjanacop nas redes!