Biden’s envoy tours Brasilia before official commitments – 02/26/2023 – Environment

The special envoy for the climate of the United States government, John Kerry, landed in Brasília early this Sunday (26) and toured cultural and tourist monuments in the federal capital before official appointments with Brazilian authorities.

Kerry visited, among other points, the Nossa Senhora Aparecida Metropolitan Cathedral, designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer, in the morning. In the afternoon, he went to a nautical sports club, where he sunbathed on the shores of Lake Paranoá.

In the coming days, meetings are planned with high-ranking officials of the Brazilian government, congressional representatives and civil society leaders. Climate issues and the fight against deforestation will be the main topics discussed at the meetings. Biden’s envoy will stay in Brazil until Tuesday (28) and proceed to Panama.

On Monday (27), at 11 am, Kerry will have a meeting with vice president Geraldo Alckmin and minister Marina Silva (Environment and Climate Change). The deputy minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Laura da Rocha, is also on the agenda.

Next, an expanded meeting with other members of the government is planned. Starting at 1 pm, there will be a lunch at the Itamaraty Palace in honor of the American representative. In the evening, Marina Silva also attends a dinner at the US embassy on the occasion of Kerry’s visit.

The passage of Biden’s envoy through Brazil also includes meetings with Minister Sonia Guajajara (Indigenous Peoples) and with the president of BNDES (National Bank for Economic and Social Development), Aloizio Mercadante.

Before the trip, the US embassy reported that Kerry “will continue the work group on climate change Brazil-US, which presidents Biden and Lula relaunched during the meeting on February 10” in Washington.

According to the diplomatic mission, “opportunities for Brazil and the US to collaborate in combating the climate crisis, curbing and reversing deforestation, advancing in the transition to clean energy and building a strong bioeconomy” will be discussed.

One of the focuses of the visit should be the Amazon Fund, which works with payments based on the results of conservation of the Amazon forest.

The fund is managed by the BNDES together with two committees: a technical one, which certifies emissions data and calculations, and another advisor, with members of civil society, which defines criteria for the application of resources.