“We are committed to working with the Amazon Fund”, says John Kerry, after meeting with Minister Marina Silva

A commitment to partnership in science, research, fighting climate change and US investment in the Amazon Fund. That was the tone of the press conference given by the United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Marina Silva, in Brasília, this Tuesday afternoon, 2/28.

Kerry reiterated his intention to work with the US Congress to support the Amazon Fund as a component of the bilateral partnership and gain support from the international community for the Brazilian initiative. “We are committed to working with the Amazon Fund, to working with other entities, to working bilaterally in the fields of science, research, development, new products and new possibilities”, declared Kerry.

John Kerry's visit to Brazil is the result of the meeting held on February 10, in Washington, between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the President of the United States, Joe Biden. The visit represents another step in strengthening the agenda of both countries in environmental issues, with one of the main focuses being the protection of the Amazon Forest.

The Minister of Environment emphasized that the announcement of US support for the Amazon Fund, in addition to its financial importance, has profound political significance. “It is the recognition of a funding instrument genuinely Brazilian-made, for the payment for CO² emissions already past, which is unprecedented in the world, and that the United States is recognizing as being capable of effectiveness, transparency and possibility of quick implementation”, emphasized Marina Silva.

Kerry highlighted that President Lula and President Joe Biden share the same idea about the crucial role of the Amazon Rainforest in fighting climate change on the planet. “They have a strong alignment of thought. We will work together, not only bilaterally, but globally, bringing people to the table,” he said.

“The reality is that this forest is essential for the stability of the world and for us to achieve the goals that were set out years ago,” said John Kerry. “The Amazon rainforest is legendary. Everyone in the world knows about the Amazon. Unless the Amazon rainforest is protected from those who deforest it, we will not be able to sustain the global warming target,” continued Kerry.

The Paris Agreement includes an action plan to limit global warming. Among the main objectives are the efforts to keep the increase in the average world temperature within a limit of 1.5 °C. Studies indicate that warming above this level will result in increasingly harmful climate impact for the planet.

MAIN POINTS — During the press conference, the executive secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, João Paulo Capobianco, read a document with details of the main points discussed.

Marina Silva and John Kerry reiterated the strong commitment of Brazil and the United States to collaborate in fighting the climate crisis, promoting sustainable development and fostering a fair and inclusive energy transition. Both pledged to work with interested partners from the public, private, philanthropic and multilateral sectors to mobilize significant support for the discussion of the environment and climate change issues that will be debated during the G20 meeting, in April.

The two also agreed to strengthen and improve the High-Level Working Group between Brazil and the United States on Climate Change, created in 2015 and which was paralyzed. This action aims to resume its activities as soon as possible and in conjunction with the other ministries involved.

Priority will be given to areas such as deforestation prevention; land use change and environmental degradation; bioeconomy; strengthening of adaptation actions; exchange of information, data and knowledge about the risks, vulnerabilities and opportunities associated to the climate change.

Also included are the issue of the oceans and coastal areas and other agendas that will still be articulated with the other ministries, such as the promotion of low carbon agriculture practices and high integrity carbon markets; and the energy transition in areas such as electricity, transport and green industry.

On bilateral financial cooperation, the Brazilian and US sides reiterated their intention to mobilize large-scale funding to support ambitious climate action in Brazil. Several mechanisms of financial cooperation to face climate change were discussed, including measures based on carbon markets and payments based on results.

Since Monday (02/27), the beginning of his agenda of official meetings in Brazil, John Kerry has met, in addition to Minister Marina Silva, various representatives of the Brazilian government, including the Minister of Indigenous Peoples, Sonia Guajajara; the deputy minister of External Relations, Maria Laura da Rocha; the president of BNDES, Aloizio Mercadante, and vice-president Geraldo Alckmin.