São Paulo, Sep 4 (EFE) – The third edition of the Latin American Green Economy Forum (FLEV) opened Thursday in São Paulo with a call to move from words to action and make climate justice a reality in the energy transition process.
The forum, organized by Agencia EFE, brings together public and private sector representatives, academia, and civil society. It takes place just two months before the UN Climate Conference (COP30), scheduled for November in Belém, in the Brazilian Amazon.
Brazil’s role at COP30
In her opening remarks, COP30 executive director Ana Toni said in a video address that the Belém summit would mark a “before and after” in global climate finance.
She explained that Brazil, as host nation, will present a series of economic instruments at COP30 to remunerate environmental services, such as preserving tropical forests.
“It is essential to promote payment for environmental services,” Toni said.
“We need to act now”
EFE president Miguel Ángel Oliver said he hopes COP30 will serve to implement existing agreements and make climate justice a reality.
“We need to act now,” Oliver warned, positioning EFE as a reliable voice against disinformation.
Leonardo Sobral, forestry director of Imaflora, urged businesses and governments to adopt “practical actions” in the transition toward a green economy.
Flávia Fonseca, international business analyst at ApexBrasil, stressed the importance of “promoting an increasingly green economy” to face “ever more extreme climate change.”
Key debates at the forum
The forum will debate the challenges of the climate crisis through five thematic panels covering:
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Green transition and decarbonization
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Forest management
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Sustainable agriculture
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Water and waste management
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Carbon and green bond markets
A new feature this year is a participatory segment allowing citizens from across Latin America to submit questions on climate change, clean energy, and green economy financing to a panel of experts.
Those addressing the questions include:
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Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, former Peruvian environment minister, global climate and energy lead at WWF International, and architect of the Paris Agreement.
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Claudio Providas, UNDP resident representative in Brazil.
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Márcio Astrini, executive secretary of the Climate Observatory, Brazil’s leading civil society environmental network.
Partners and sponsors
The 3rd FLEV is sponsored by:
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ApexBrasil, Brazil’s trade and investment promotion agency.
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Norte Energia, operator of the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant.
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Lots Group, a logistics company focused on decarbonization solutions.
It is also supported by Imaflora, the Climate Observatory, and IBMEC University, which is hosting the event at its São Paulo campus. EFE