Izabella Teixeira, Brazil’s environment chief from 2010–2016, says decarbonization brings opportunity—but globally, energy is being added, not replaced
04/11/2025
Amid global geopolitical turmoil, Brazil is the best place to host the next United Nations climate summit, said Izabella Teixeira, Brazil’s environment minister from 2010 to 2016. “Brazilian democracy’s ability to welcome the world with its diverse social expressions is remarkable,” said Ms. Teixeira, now a consultant and advisor to institutions such as the Brazilian Center for International Relations (CEBRI).
The biologist, who played a key role in the negotiations that led to the Paris Agreement in 2015, stressed that it’s crucial to observe how financial and corporate actors—from São Paulo’s Faria Lima financial district and beyond—will engage with the climate issue. “Decarbonization is indeed an opportunity for Brazil, but we need to approach the issue in a mature way, not through a polarized or biased lens,” she said.
In an interview with Valor, the former minister discussed what will really be at stake at COP30, to be held in Belém, and why the world is not truly progressing in the so-called energy transition. Below are key excerpts from the conversation:
Valor: Based on your experience with the Paris Agreement, how do you view COP30? What areas might reach consensus in Belém?
Izabella Teixeira: I’m not even sure the world is capable of reaching consensus at a COP today. The event in Belém is more about understanding the current global moment to work toward practical solutions to tackle climate change. We’re witnessing a profound transformation in the international order, which directly affects the COP and the multilateral system.
All the geopolitical conditions that enabled the Paris Agreement ten years ago have changed. Paris was a political agreement that mobilized global engagement around climate. Today, global governance is undergoing a deep shift, marked by intense debate. The United States, for instance, has prioritized energy security based on fossil fuels. Meanwhile, countries like China and India are taking their own paths. We’re not talking about energy transition anymore—we’re talking about energy addition.
Valor: So the world isn’t replacing its energy sources?
Ms. Teixeira: No, there’s no substitution of one energy matrix for another, but rather the addition of new sources to the existing mix. The data shows record investments in renewables, but fossil fuel investments remain high. Europe, for example, might return to coal because of the energy crisis triggered by the war in Ukraine. Geopolitics directly influences the climate agenda, and this must be acknowledged in global discussions.
Electrification is key to decarbonization and is closely tied to the digital and technological age, which depends on strategic minerals and new materials—all of which require more energy. Moreover, population growth and extreme weather events are increasing energy demand. Cooling energy consumption has skyrocketed globally. The world’s energy matrix is still largely fossil-based, and changes aren’t happening fast enough.
Valor: Is Brazil out of sync with this global trend?
Ms. Teixeira: Brazil has a relatively comfortable position in terms of its electric matrix, which is heavily based on renewables. But challenges remain—such as our reliance on diesel, since we are the seventh-largest diesel consumer in the world. Decarbonization presents opportunities, but it also requires strategic decisions across short, medium, and long terms. These decisions cannot be based on assumptions but must follow a strategic vision that brings together government, the private sector, the financial industry, and civil society.
Valor: To what extent can COP address this ongoing energy debate?
Ms. Teixeira: The climate summit isn’t just the event—it’s part of a broader process already underway, stretching to 2026 while Brazil holds the COP presidency. The country must define how it will lead this global and domestic debate, bringing together different sectors to craft realistic solutions. Our electric matrix offers strengths, but we face complex challenges, including organized crime linked to deforestation in the Amazon. The forest is crucial for global climate security.
We’re facing a real, global problem that requires maturity and strategic choices. What we decide now will shape the next decades. The current climate crisis is the result of past actions. What we do today will determine how vulnerable we are tomorrow. Brazil must approach this conversation as an adult—among other adults—without polarization. That’s the real challenge.
Valor: Can “all these adults” actually decide the world’s future in Belém?
Ms. Teixeira: Brazil’s role as COP president is to offer a platform for dialogue—for example, on climate financing. There won’t be a specific decision on this at COP30, but there will be efforts to set up a political process to define future pathways. The decision to invest $1.3 trillion was already made at the COP in Baku [last year]. Brazil and the COP29 presidency will provide a vision on how to raise these resources. But the conversation isn’t limited to the COP—it’s also happening in the G20, BRICS+, and G7. Similarly, there won’t be major decisions on NDCs [Nationally Determined Contributions]. What we will see is a report assessing how ambitious these national plans are. The gap to stay within the 1.5°C limit clearly still needs to be narrowed.
Valor: If Belém is more about setting future processes than major negotiations, could this COP still change the cultural mindset around climate?
Ms. Teixeira: For Brazilians, it’s important to understand that they are part of global solutions. This isn’t some distant issue. Decarbonization can bring economic and social benefits to Brazil. We need pragmatism and realism to address all the moving parts. Our country must lead and offer solutions. Brazil has the diplomatic and economic capacity to influence the global conversation. COP30 is an opportunity to show that. Tackling climate change is in our direct interest. It’s not just an environmental issue—it’s about sustainable development, social inclusion, and technological progress. If Brazil plays it right, it can emerge stronger from this process.
Valor: So this will be a hands-on COP?
Ms. Teixeira: Climate change is happening—there’s no turning back. What’s needed now is action. This will be a COP of hard work, focused on restoring credibility and trust in the climate process, even as we deal with huge geopolitical uncertainties. These are issues that affect daily life, especially for younger generations, who are deeply concerned. We can’t be hostage to short-term tensions. Giving up or pretending the problem doesn’t exist is not an option.
We are creating life. That’s the key message: decarbonization brings the future into Brazil’s present and keeps us generating life. This is a country that looks to its future with innovation and a contemporary mindset, aware of the challenges of changing deeply rooted cultures.
*By Eduardo Geraque — São Paulo
Source: Valor International