Brazil Low-carbon Country Case Study

Abstract

This study was undertaken by the World Bank in its initiative to support Brazil's integrated effort towards reducing national and global emissions of greenhouse gases while promoting long term development. The study builds on the best available knowledge and to this effect the study team undertook a broad consultative process and surveyed the copious literature available to identify the need for incremental efforts and centers of excellences. The overall aim of this study was to support Brazil's efforts to identify opportunities to reduce its emissions in ways that foster economic development. The primary objective was to provide the Brazilian government the technical inputs needed to assess the potential and conditions for low-carbon development in key emitting sectors. The Brazil low carbon study aims to support Brazil's continued efforts to foster development while reducing GHG emissions. The World Bank Group has always been committed to supporting growth in developing countries, and in October 2008, it adopted a Strategic Framework on Climate Change and Development (SFCCD) to integrate climate change into the development agenda without compromising growth and poverty reduction efforts. Within the context of the SFCCD, the World Bank has undertaken a series of initiatives to support climate change mitigation within country-led development processes. One of these initiatives has been to coordinate several low-carbon growth studies through close interactions with its longstanding partners. This study is the result of that initiative. In order to build upon the best available knowledge, the study process emphasized a consultative, iterative approach that involved extensive participation by Brazilian experts and government representatives.