Brazil and 16 other countries sign energy transition letter
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and 16 other heads of state and government signed a joint letter on Monday (Sep. 22) in defense of a fair and equitable energy transition. The text highlights the urgency of accelerating the production and consumption of clean energy, with reference to the commitments made at the 2023 United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference, COP28.
The agreement was announced in New York, during the opening of the UN General Assembly and New York Climate Week. The document also paves the way for discussions that will take place at COP30 in the Amazon city of Belém in November.
The text points out that investments in clean energy outstrip those in fossil fuels, but warns of regional inequalities, such as low funding in African and Asian countries.
The leaders also announced the creation of the Global Energy Transitions Forum – a space for cooperation between governments, banks, companies, and international institutions – to expand investments, reduce risks, and support developing countries. The goal is to install 11 terawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030, in addition to tripling clean generation and doubling energy efficiency in the same period.
The text also stresses the need for reforms in the global financial architecture to enable investments and ensure that climate commitments are translated into concrete actions. According to the signatories, this decade will be decisive in determining whether the world will be able to move toward a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future.
The document is signed by representatives from Australia, Bangladesh, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the European Commission, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Norway, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, the UK, Uruguay, the International Energy Agency, and the International Renewable Energy Agency.
