Brazil, US bring back working group on climate change

Joined Tuesday (Feb. 28) by US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, Brazil’s Environment Minister Marina Silva announced the return of the working group aimed at establishing joint actions by Brazil and the US to curb the effects of climate change.

The group will have representatives from multiple ministries and focus on the protection of Brazilian biodiversity and oceans—central issues to curbing warming and slash greenhouse gas emissions.

“As part of the update of this agreement with the United States, we will have a work agenda until April, when a G20 meeting should be held to to bring this transition in line with a more sustainable, fair, fraternal, and peaceful world,” Minister Silva declared.

The great challenge, she went on, should be to tackle the negative effects of climate change with minimal losses in economic and social development.

Kerry, in turn, said US President Joe Biden is interested in joining efforts with Brazil to reverse climate change. He reiterated the US commitment to contribute to the Amazon Fund, which gathers donations from global powers for environmental preservation. The special envoy also mentioned his nation’s plan to support climate mitigation projects and to contain the increase in global temperature by up to 1.5° C, as recommended by the Paris Agreement.