If oil is a “gift from God”, as the Azerbaijani president insisted at the opening of COP29, countries spoiled by creation must not abuse their consumption, the Brazilian Minister of the Environment responded on Wednesday.
Marina Silva, present at the UN climate conference in Baku, reacted to Ilham Aliev’s thunderous declaration the day before before the heads of state gathered for the annual summit supposed to resolve the climate crisis, caused by the gluttony of humanity for fossil fuels.
All natural resources, including oil and gas, are “a gift from God” and “countries should not be blamed for having them and providing them to the markets, because the markets need them”, said Tuesday the authoritarian president of Azerbaijan, host and president of the conference.
“God gives us gifts, but he always asks us to be very careful,” Brazilian Minister Marina Silva responded on Wednesday at a press conference, with supporting examples:
“If we eat too much sugar, we will definitely become diabetic”
Brazil is Latin America’s largest oil producer, producing some 3.5 million barrels per day, about six times more than Azerbaijan. And it does not give up exploiting its resources, even if it considers this to be compatible with its climate objectives. Brazil, host of COP30 in 2025, submitted its new climate roadmap to the UN on Wednesday, an official document that all member countries of the Paris Agreement must submit by February.
By 2035, the South American giant plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 59 to 67% compared to 2005. Marina Silva defended her point of view:
“We are helping to set an example and, in doing so, encourage other countries to set similarly ambitious goals. We are a developing country”
The third day of COP29, supposed to end on November 22, saw the session dedicated to heads of state and government end on Wednesday, less than a hundred of whom made the trip. The Brazilian Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva did not attend following a recent fall at his home.
Editorial staff with AFP
Image credit : Shutterstock/ Jory Mundy
