New book on Brazilian energy sector
14 October 2009
Energy in Brazil by Antonio Dias Leite is set to be a major contribution to the discussion around climate change mitigation and to become key reading for policymakers and researchers concerned with the future role and impacts of rapidly developing countries.
The author is professor emeritus of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He has also served as president of Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (1967-69) and as Brazil's mines and energy minister (1969-73).
Published by Earthscan, Energy in Brazil analyses Brazil's energy sources (hydropower, biomass and other renewables, as well as fossil fuels and nuclear power), in each case examining environmental and socio-economic issues and the potential for future development. It notes that in the climate debate Brazil is often grouped with China and India – countries with the potential for massive increases in their carbon emissions in coming years – and yet in fact Brazil is notable for its exceptionally high reliance on energy from renewable sources (approaching 50%), including hydropower and biofuels. The final chapter places Brazil's energy prospects within a global context.
Antonio Dias Leite gave the following speech at the launch of Energy in Brazil at the Embassy in Brazil on 13 October:
Two years ago my reference book on energy in Brazil
was launched in Rio de Janeiro. Immediately after
that I began to consider a possible edition of a
readable text in English on the same subject,
oriented to a wider audience outside of Brazil.
Stephan Albrechtskirchner of the World Energy Council
and Norberto Medeiros of its Brazilian Committee
encouraged me to go ahead. Earthsacan took the task
of editing the text, doing a very impressive job.
Today this adventure comes to a happy conclusion due
to the generous initiative of Carlos Augusto Santos
Neves, the Brazilian ambassador in London, and
Christoph Frei, the secretary-general of the World
Energy Council. I am grateful for the support I
received. I hope the book will not disappoint all
those that came here at this late hour to participate
in the event and receive a copy offered by
Eletrobras, the Brazilian holding company in the
domain of electric power generation.
This edition coincides with the anxious times of the world wide discussions on climate change.
The global political issue to be discussed at the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change, in December, derives from the contradiction between ideal rates of economic growth and harmful emission control targets in a world of diverse natural resources, wealth and technological stages. Energy is a key element in this context and comprises both its more efficient use and the expansion of the share of renewable energies in the supply of future demand.
Investment in renewable energies has been successful in several nations, both in the domain of what is now called 'old renewables', comprising hydro and ethanol, and the fashionable new wind and solar technologies, besides others of lesser importance or far-fetched practical results.
When analysing renewable energy development programmers, one must bear in mind that all human constructions have environmental consequences. Thus, the relative merits of each individual initiative result from a balance between benefit and harm. In addition, each region or country faces different physical and economic possibilities and restraints.
Brazil's outstanding position in the field of renewable energies is the result of continued joint action by the government and private businesses. It all started with the development of hydro power in the first half of the twentieth century and with the modernization of sugarcane agribusiness in the second half. This happened before the world began to seriously consider the environment as a main issue, highlighted by the United Nations conferences of Stockholm in 1972 and Rio de Janeiro in 1992.
Unfortunately Brazil did not offer an equivalent good performance regarding forest management, the second most important factor of greenhouse gases emission. It faces a complex situation comprehending both predatory lumber extraction and deforestation for cattle-raising, mostly in the Amazon Region. In those regions there exists an inherent contradiction between the liberty of private initiative and the national preservation interest. Government efforts have been intensified to reverse the trend of deforestation, with positive results.
In the book that is now offered I made an effort to present, as realistically as possible, the successes and failures of one country. A glance at the Brazilian experience may be of some use to countries that are now accelerating their efforts towards a cleaner energy matrix.
Antonio Dias Leite
London, 13 October 2009
This edition coincides with the anxious times of the world wide discussions on climate change.
The global political issue to be discussed at the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change, in December, derives from the contradiction between ideal rates of economic growth and harmful emission control targets in a world of diverse natural resources, wealth and technological stages. Energy is a key element in this context and comprises both its more efficient use and the expansion of the share of renewable energies in the supply of future demand.
Investment in renewable energies has been successful in several nations, both in the domain of what is now called 'old renewables', comprising hydro and ethanol, and the fashionable new wind and solar technologies, besides others of lesser importance or far-fetched practical results.
When analysing renewable energy development programmers, one must bear in mind that all human constructions have environmental consequences. Thus, the relative merits of each individual initiative result from a balance between benefit and harm. In addition, each region or country faces different physical and economic possibilities and restraints.
Brazil's outstanding position in the field of renewable energies is the result of continued joint action by the government and private businesses. It all started with the development of hydro power in the first half of the twentieth century and with the modernization of sugarcane agribusiness in the second half. This happened before the world began to seriously consider the environment as a main issue, highlighted by the United Nations conferences of Stockholm in 1972 and Rio de Janeiro in 1992.
Unfortunately Brazil did not offer an equivalent good performance regarding forest management, the second most important factor of greenhouse gases emission. It faces a complex situation comprehending both predatory lumber extraction and deforestation for cattle-raising, mostly in the Amazon Region. In those regions there exists an inherent contradiction between the liberty of private initiative and the national preservation interest. Government efforts have been intensified to reverse the trend of deforestation, with positive results.
In the book that is now offered I made an effort to present, as realistically as possible, the successes and failures of one country. A glance at the Brazilian experience may be of some use to countries that are now accelerating their efforts towards a cleaner energy matrix.
Antonio Dias Leite
London, 13 October 2009
Source: Embassy of Brazil in London