Lula told US President Joe Biden and other world leaders that “there is no sustainability in a world at war.”
What did he say?
The President declared that “we are also implacable defenders of peace between peoples”. The statement was made during the virtual summit of the Forum of Major Economies on Energy and Climate.
“Besides peace, there is an urgent need for us to strive for a relationship of trust between countries. However, since the climate convention in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, trust between the actors involved has fallen,” said Lula.
The speech comes amid tensions caused after Lula also blamed Ukraine for the war against Russia. This week the President equalized the responsibility of Russians and Ukrainians for the conflict.
The phrase provoked rejection in the United States and in Europe. Washington replied that Brazil was “parroting Russian and Chinese propaganda,” while the European Union said it was only “helping Ukraine in selfdefense exercises.”
Ukraine, on the other hand, invited Lula to visit Kiev to “understand” the war.
Check out the full text of Lula’s speech
I want to congratulate President Joe Biden on hosting this forum on energy and climate. I take this opportunity to greet all participants.
The response to the climate challenge perhaps the greatest of our generation depends on coordinated action by all countries. Brazil is doing its part and will make further efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change.
We have the cleanest energy matrix on the planet. More than 80% of our electricity comes from renewable sources: hydroelectric, wind, solar, ethanol and biomass. And we will increase this proportion by installing new solar and wind farms. We will continue to invest in solutions such as lowcarbon agriculture, green infrastructure and biofuels.
We’ve reduced deforestation in the Amazon by more than 80% in a decade, and we’re going to do it again. The environmental damage caused by the previous government will be reversed. To this end, we have reinstated the plan to prevent and control deforestation in the Amazon, which has been responsible for the record decline in deforestation in the recent past. Our goal is zero deforestation.
We are committed to reforesting 12 million hectares and increasing investments in the bioeconomy to ensure dignified and sustainable jobs for the 25 million Brazilians who live in the region.
In August, we will bring together the leaders of the eight Amazon countries with the goal of promoting a new common agenda for the Amazon. We will reaffirm our willingness to work together on farreaching projects that protect the biome and promote its sustainable development.
We will also work with countries with tropical forests in Africa and Asia. As a sign of our commitment, we present the candidacy of Belém in the Amazon to host the COP30 in 2025.
Ladies and gentlemen.
The effects of climate change are further exacerbating world poverty, hunger and inequality, scourges Brazil is struggling to combat. We are also uncompromising defenders of peace between peoples. In a world at war there is no sustainability.
In addition to peace, there is an urgent need for us to strive for a relationship of trust between countries. But since the climate convention of 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, trust between the actors involved has fallen. Since the pledge in 2009, climate finance offered by developed countries has fallen short of the $100 billion a year pledged. As I said at the beginning, everyone has to do their part.
Today the world is nearing an irreversible point. We see before us the urgency of fulfilling the promises made. We need more effective and legitimate governance that will allow us to save solidarity for the benefit of all humanity.
You can count on Brazil.