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Transitioning from a carbon-intensive development path to a low-carbon economy requires understanding of emission sources and its drivers. To achieve Nationally Determined Contribution targets discussed under the Paris Agreement, countries must project emission baselines considering different levels of ambition and sectoral performances and monitor government policies and mitigation actions. This study develops a Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) framework based on energy use and carbon emission scenarios for Brazil up to 2030, focusing on transport. Three scenarios are developed based on different political commitments. All scenarios and mitigation actions are discussed under the Brazilian Forum on Climate Change, which is recognized as one of the most important institutional instruments of the National Policy on Climate Change. Results reveal a 41% abatement in CO2e emissions when comparing the most ambitious scenario to the conservative one. MRV framework indicates that Brazil is on track to a low carbon economic transition, although joint action is needed. This is mainly due to the increasing penetration of bioenergy into the transport energy matrix, while electromobility does not expand in Brazil at the pace of major international players such as Europe and China. Special contribution of this paper is on the role of bioenergy in prospective carbon emission scenarios, which is a lack in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconciling climate and socioeconomic goals is a significant challenge in the developing world. Improving living standards is imperative. However, if emerging middle-classes in developing countries mirror current western consumption patterns, the chances of stabilizing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at safe atmospheric concentration levels will undoubtedly be reduced. In this sense, the mitigation potential of changing consumption patterns has been increasingly acknowledged. A growing body of literature explores what new consumption patterns might look like, along with their potential contribution to reducing emissions. This paper simulates shifts in household behaviour using a macroeconomic framework. We apply a hybrid computable general equilibrium model with six representative household groups to simulate exploratory scenarios for the Brazilian economy up to 2050. In the reference scenario, household demand is defined by current trends and standards. Consumption patterns converge among income groups, leading to major increases in demand for energy, transportation, consumer goods and services, especially for poorer households. This scenario is contrasted with an alternative pathway in which households seek a less carbon-intensive lifestyle. Our results indicate that a major gap in consumption levels and associated emissions between the poorest and richest households persists in the long run. We also show that sustainable practices contribute to significantly reducing energy-related GHG emissions with minor variations in GDP, employment and income distribution. Key policy insights There is a comprehensive portfolio of consumer strategies that can contribute to lowering the GHG emissions intensity of consumption at the household level in Brazil. Through a dematerialized consumption profile, households can contribute to mitigating up to 17% of energy-related GHG emissions compared to a reference projection in 2050. Emissions reduction can be achieved with minor economic losses. Impacts on employment are less than on GDP, since there is a structural shift towards labour-intensive sectors, namely services. However, this comes at the expense of a rise in price levels, given that higher wages lead to an increase in production costs. Per capita emissions from energy use are significantly higher for wealthier households, compared to poorer ones. Therefore, the greatest opportunities for decarbonizing consumption reside in policy interventions that target upper income groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the performance of energy policies in the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), a regional initiative consisting of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, but also considering Venezuela (full member since mid-2012) and Bolivia (full participation under negotiation since 2015). The methodology is based on a qualitative-quantitative approach. First, we provide a critical review of the literature on energy security. Then, we carry out a comparative analysis of energy policies in Mercosur countries, concluding that there is no harmonization between them. Next, we offer the new concept of socio-environmental-energy security (SEES) as a more suitable approach to deal with current challenges, providing a hybrid quantitative indicator-based approach to the SEES index. Ergo, after defining the indicators, selecting the data, carrying out a normalization process, assigning weights and aggregating data points, the SEES composite index is generated. We suggest that energy integration can contribute to better regional performance in terms of energy policies and that the SEES index can guide policy makers and investments, replacing the old-fashioned concept of energy security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of a tax on greenhouse gases aims to increase awareness of the real costs of economic activities across all stakeholders. In the absence of such tax, these activities generate negative externalities, a market failure that imposes costs on others, including future generations. Developing countries have increasingly contributed to climate change, and emission mitigation policies are therefore also required in these economies. Among the priorities in their political agendas, however, are to reduce income concentration and alleviate poverty. Climate policies should therefore be implemented without interfering with such social goals. This study uses a Social Accounting Matrix for Brazil in 2005 to analyse the impact of implementing a charge per tonne of CO2e emitted on income distribution in Brazil. The results differ as much in relation to the level of the applied tax as to the means whereby the revenue thus raised is recycled in the economy. Two option paths are simulated: direct transfer to low-income families and exemption from labour taxes. As complementary results, impacts on GDP, on employment levels, and on GHG emissions are also analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Brazil occupies a unique position among the major greenhouse gas ( GHG) emitting countries due to its low per-capita energy-related GHG emissions (2.4 tons CO2 in 2014), attributable to abundant clean energy sources. Recently, deforestation in Brazil has slowed considerably, to the point where forestry has ceased to be the major source of emissions. Brazil has reduced its overall GHG emissions by 41% from 2005 to 2012, and its total GHG emissions per capita decreased from a high in 2004 of 14.4 tCO2e to an estimated 6.5 tCO2e in 2012. Brazil faces the challenge of building upon its historically low energy-related GHG emission levels through new decarbonization strategies, while pursuing higher living standards for its population. There is a huge potential to further reduce national GHG emissions through the implementation of a wide spectrum of mitigation measures. While several observers from the scientific community have a different view, Brazilian government considers that the country has been playing both a pioneer and a leader role in ambitious climate action, including the submission of a quite ambitious intended nationally determined contribution, and a constructive role played in COP21, joining the High Ambition club at the end of the negotiations. Several motivations exist for Brazil joining other 'climate clubs' focusing on innovative financial mechanisms and sustainable energy and forestry technologies. WIREs Clim Change 2017, 8:e439. doi: 10.1002/wcc.439 For further resources related to this article, please visit the . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical records of socio-environmental impacts related to large-scale iron ore development in Brazil are driving different planning approaches in the burgeoning iron mining and smelting complex of Corumbá, located at the border of the Pantanal ecosystem in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Among the most relevant efforts are two strategic environmental assessments (SEA): one was led by a mining company and the other by a civil society committee. This paper assesses to what extent these SEAs can contribute to the mitigation of negative socio-environmental impacts of the Corumbá Complex. It also evaluates if the SEA methodologies meet a number of SEA Performance Criteria. The analyses, which were based on literature reviews and content analysis of the SEA documents, reveal that the two SEAs represent an important effort to incorporate environmental variables into more strategic levels of the Pantanal region's planning. Nonetheless, both SEAs have serious limitations, given that they are not formally nested in governmental policies, plans and programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents and discusses the main findings of a study focusing on climate change mitigation actions (MAs) in Brazil. Brazilian government presented to the 15th Conference of the Parties of the Climate Change Convention held in Copenhagen in 2009 (UNFCCC COP15) voluntary mitigation goals: a reduction in between 36.1 and 38.9% of the country's green house gases (GHG) emissions projected to 2020. If Brazil meets its voluntary goals, its GHG emissions in 2020 will be 6–10% lower than in 2005. The main research question addressed in this study is what conditions should Brazil meet to achieve its pledge? It discusses how MAs are approached, conceptualized and planned in Brazil. It describes how the country identifies MAs and the contextual framework used to define them. It also maps the initiatives underway in the country, and analyses the issues faced for its successful implementation, as well as for future approaches. The main conclusion is that Brazil seems to be in a good position to meet its voluntary mitigation goals up to 2020, as avoiding deforestation will take up the bulk of the emission reduction. After 2020, Brazil will face a new challenge: combine economic development with low GHG energy-related emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the ongoing international discussions about the Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action concept, this study takes instead a more ‘bottom-up’ approach through a comparative analysis of five studies of mitigation actions (MAs) in Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Peru and South Africa. The analysis shows that MAs are driven by both developmental and climate objectives. The character, scope, policy horizon and potential success of an action are closely linked to the developmental path of countries such that MAs that directly address poverty and development seem to have a better chance of being implemented since they address issues higher on the policy agenda of developing countries. Where international support is sought, all five countries have some existing measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) and technical competence capacity that can be built upon. The choice of MAs is evidently linked to institutional capacity (both for design and implementation of MAs and possible MRV), emissions profile and the relative resource endowments of countries. The policy environments – from highly planned to less coordinated – and time-horizons – from 4-year plans to 40-year scenarios – differ substantially between the countries. Thus, the comparative analysis underscores the diversity of possible MAs and capabilities and the concomitant need for flexibility in definition, design and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main assumptions and findings are presented on a comparative analysis of three GHG long-term emissions scenarios for Brazil. Since 1990, land-use change has been the most important source of GHG emissions in the country. The voluntary goals to limit Brazilian GHG emissions pledged a reduction in between 36.1% and 38.9% of GHG emissions projected to 2020, to be 6–10% lower than in 2005. Brazil is in a good position to meet the voluntary mitigation goals pledged to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) up to 2020: recent efforts to reduce deforestation have been successful and avoided deforestation will form the bulk of the emissions reduction commitment. In 2020, if governmental mitigation goals are met, then GHG emissions from the energy system would become the largest in the country. After 2020, if no additional mitigation actions are implemented, GHG emissions will increase again in the period 2020–2030, due to population and economic growth driving energy demand, supply and GHG emissions. However, Brazil is in a strong position to take a lead in low-carbon economic and social development due to its huge endowment of renewable energy resources allowing for additional mitigation actions to be adopted after 2020. Policy relevance The period beyond 2020 is now relevant in climate policy due to the Durban Platform agreeing a ‘protocol, legal instrument or agreed outcome with legal force’ that will have effect from 2020. After 2020, Brazil will be in a situation more similar to other industrialized countries, faced with a new challenge of economic development with low GHG energy-related emissions, requiring the adoption of mitigation policies and measures targeted at the energy system. Unlike the mitigation actions in the land-use change sector, where most of the funding will come from the national budgets due to sovereignty concerns, the huge financial resources needed to develop low-carbon transport and energy infrastructure could benefit from soft loans channelled to the country through nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]