Pernambuco Climate Change Forum discusses CO2 mitigation actions in the state

Despite the social isolation caused by Covid-19, the state climate agenda still has urgencies to be discussed. Held today, April 16, for the first time by videoconference, the 4th extraordinary meeting of the Pernambuco Forum on Climate Change pointed out the importance of sub-national governments to establish greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation targets, as well as to involve companies in the climate agenda and the research strategies of the state mitigation sector plans. At the event, a decree was also presented reorganizing the Forum in order to alter the formation of the collegiate and expand the participation of civil society, jumping from 20 to 34 representatives.

José Bertotti, Pernambuco Secretary of Environment and Sustainability and president of the Forum, said that the meeting is an initiative of the Pernambuco Secretary of Environment and Sustainability to advance the climate agenda in the state in the current context of crisis. "It is very important to continue moving towards the implementation of environmental policies, to achieve greater resilience in facing situations like this. This space is fundamental for all issues to be discussed, and for us to point out ways and solutions to overcome the challenges for the implementation of climate policies in the state of Pernambuco," he says. Bertotti also recalls that the reflex caused by the VOCID-19 crisis in Pernambuco's greenhouse gas emissions will have only a momentary result and less impact in relation to other locations.

The executive director of the Centro Brasil no Clima, Alfredo Sirkis, highlighted the development of mitigation goals in local governments. The proposal was to show that, through the mobilization of agents and the willingness to implement local public policy to reduce emissions, it is possible to receive international aid and/or project funding sources. "There is a need for the Pernambuco Forum to raise the creation of a thematic chamber that deals with forests, reduce deforestation and promote unrest. Something that is already being done in Pernambuco. There is funding for this and it is necessary to monitor the amount of carbon it is absorbing", he reveals.

Highlighting the commitment of the private initiative to the climate agenda, the coordinator of the Ethos Institute, Flavia Resende, participated in the Forum with an exhibition of the theme "The engagement of companies in the climate agenda". Flávia highlighted that, in general, it tends to be the large companies, with greater resources, that seek the implementation of practices related to emissions reduction.

In addition to the members of the Forum, which is made up of 15 secretariats and state agencies, the plenary gathered more than 100 representatives linked to the topic, related to Legislative Assemblies, leaders of the productive sector, members of the Municipalist Association of Pernambuco (Amupe), universities, NGOs, trade union organizations, social movements and activists.

The strategy to implement, reactivate and support the development of subnational forums, such as the Pernambuco Forum on Climate Change, is one of the initiatives of the Centro Brasil no Clima - CBC, through the project of mobilization Governors for Climate, supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).