Brasília, October 2, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - A governmental resolution that stipulates guidelines for Brazilian companies or foreign companies based in Brazil which are interested in selling carbon credits is available for public consultation. Resolution nº 01, the result of an interministerial commission coordinated by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT), is available for 10 days for the presentation of suggestions on the MCT's web site.
With this resolution, Brazil becomes the first developing country to establish rules for the acquisition and sale of carbon credits, following the principle of Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM's). This concept encompasses the development of so-called clean technologies and is part of the Kyoto Protocol, a document prepared at the Rio-92 Conference. The Protocol, which needs the adherence of one more developing country to begin to take effect, envisions the reduction of gases, mainly carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, that cause the greenhouse effect. Russia, which was on the verge of adhering to the Protocol at any moment, postponed the decision until the first half of 2004.
For the MCT's secretary of Strategic Policies and Scientific Development, Jorge Guimarães, Brazil should invest in incentives to companies that can sell carbon credits, even if the Protocol has not yet begun to take effect. "I am convinced that, for purely climatic reasons, Europe will push for the Protocol to enter into effect, and, in case the delay persists, it will end up creating a protocol of its own," he wagers. The reason lies in the pronounced climatic changes the Earth has undergone in the last 30 years, caused by the increased emission of gases responsible for the greenhouse effect.
As a supplier of carbon credits on the international market, Brazil has competitors, such as Canada, India, and China. But, in Guimarães's assessment, Brazil possesses advantages over these countries. Various forestation and reforestation projects are being developed here, and there is room for further initiatives. The secretary also points to the treatment of urban trash, which can be used to generate electric energy, and of agrobusiness wastes, such as those produced on pig and chicken farms. Besides this, according to the secretary, Brazil is a large-scale country and is relatively well preserved, in addition to its great biodiversity. "We also have hopes of resuming the Proalcohol program, we are investing in technologies to obtain biodiesel fuel, and we use water, in hydroelectric plants throughout the country, to generate electric energy," he observed.
Resolution nº1 of the Interministerial Commission on Global Climate Change determines that companies with projects for the development of clean technologies cannot use child, slave, or sub-human labor and must promote social inclusion, by providing jobs in their projects to members of the local community, among other norms. The procedure for calculating carbon credits is also defined. According to the Kyoto Protocol, for example, a country earns US$ 10 for every ton of gases it ceases to emit. The money can be passed along to the clean companies that sell credits.
According to Guimarães, since the beginning of the year, companies have submitted around 50 MDL projects to the Ministry. For him, this shows how all citizens gain by adapting the country to the principles contained in the Protocol. "We shall all have a healthier environment, to the extent that we release fewer pollutent gases into the atmosphere. Brazil gains, because more people will be engaged in causing less impact on the environment, and it gains through more employment and, economically, greater production," he argued. (DAS)
