What Order in Progress? : Brazilian Energy Policies and Climate Change in the Beginning of the 21st Century

• Brazil is no doubt one of the world’s most influential regions with regards to energy and climatechange. Due to its sheer size and stunning economic growth, the country is generally regarded as one of the emerging economies expected to become dominant players in the global economy. It is also thehome of one the world’s most complex ecosystems, the Amazon rainforest, which is viewed as an important component in the global climate system. With regards to energy, Brazil has for many years pursued active policies to promote hydroenergy and the use of biofuels. Consequently, it has a unique energy profile with a high degree of renewable energy. Over the years, Brazil has also played anactive role in the global climate change negotiations and was, among other things, the principal instigator of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). At the same time, the use of fossil fuels is currently growing at a rapid pace and the country recently emerged as the world’s fifth largest emitterof greenhouse gases (GHG).In view of this background, the express purpose of this study is to discuss Brazilian energy and climate policies, through an analysis of the current development in the energy sector more specifically. What explains the present situation? What are the current trends and what are the critical factors that could possibly influence future activities? This implies that the study has both adescriptive as well as an explanatory ambition. One important contribution is to provide an overview of current trends in contemporary Brazilian energy and climate policies. Another is to identify some of the drivers and obstacles that will be critical also for future policies. Hence, the study combines amore general descriptive analysis with five in-depth analyses from five pertinent energy sectors (natural gas, ethanol, energetic cogeneration, biodiesel, and the use of charcoal).

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