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Brazil wildfires burned 79pc more land in 2024

  • : Agriculture, Biofuels, Emissions
  • 25/01/24

Wildfires in Brazil scorched an area greater than the size of Italy in 2024, climbing by 79pc from the prior year, burning large swaths of the Amazon rainforest and hindering sugarcane and other farm output.

The wildfires last year spread out over 30.8mn hectares (ha) (76mn acres), up by 13.6mn ha from a year earlier and rising to a five-year high, according to environmental network MapBiomas' fire monitor researching program. The surge in wildfires may be related to a wider drought season influenced by the El Nino climate phenomenon in 2023-2024, researchers said.

Sugarcane producers association Orplana estimated that around 414,000ha of crop lands in central-southern states — Brazil's largest sugarcane producing area — were damaged by wildfires, which led to R2.67bn ($485.7mn) in financial losses. Dryer weather in the region in April-October last year hindered sugarcane development, while a surge in wildfires damaged plants in different stages of regrowth and downsized the 2025-26 season's output.

Wildfires hit northern Para state the most last year, as 7.3mn ha were burnt. Central-western Mato Grosso and northern Tocantins states followed, with 6.8mn ha and 2.7mn ha of burnt areas, respectively.

Amazon biome

Brazil's Amazon biome lost over 17.6mn ha to wildfires in 2024, which accounts for 58pc of the country's total burnt area, up by 62pc from 10.8mn ha a year before.

The changes in climate patterns are alarming considering that fires do not occur naturally inthe Amazon as is the case in other biomes, MapBiomas' researcher Felipe Martenexen said.

Brazil lost 3.6pc — or 1.1mn ha — of its areas to fires in December 2024, down from 1.58mn ha in the same period a year earlier. The Amazon biome represented 88pc of total wildfires in the month, reaching 964,000ha of burnt land. Of that, 37.5pc of damage accounted for forest areas.

Brazil's Cerrado biome, which comprises savanah grasslands and forest and makes up 25pc of national land — lost 9.7mn ha to wildfires last year, up by almost 92pc from 2023. Besides natural fire outbreaks in the region, an extended drought seasonincreased burnt areas, MapBiomas said.

Wildfire-damaged areas in southern Brazil's Pampa biome, or low grasslands, dropped by 98pc to 3,860ha last year from around 7,640ha in 2023, mostly because of historic floods in May prompted by El Nino's effects in the region during the first half of 2024.

Brazil's Caatinga biome, or seasonally dry tropical forest, in the northeast lost around 330,000ha in burnt areas in 2024, down by 47pc from 630,115ha a year before.

Burnt areas in the central-western Pantanal biome, or tropical wetland, stood at 1.9mn ha last year, more than doubling from 672,600ha in 2023.

The Atlantic forest biome lost 1mn ha to wildfires in the same period, more than fivefold from the nearly 183,900ha a year earlier.

Amazon fund

Brazil's Bndes development bank will send R45mn from its Amazon fund to firefighters in Mato Grosso to combat wildfires and prevent deforestation, it said today.

Mato Grosso is the eight state to receive money from the Amazon fund to combat wildfires and deforestation, Bndes said. The other states are Rondonia, Acre, Amapa, Para, Roraima, Amazonas and Maranhao. In total, the Amazon fund has sent R405mn to these states.

The Amazon fund — created by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in 2008, decommissioned by Jair Bolsonaro during his presidency in 2019-2022 and reactivated by Lula again in 2023 — supports 119 projects and has R2.99bn in its portfolio. Norway, Germany, the US, the UK, Switzerland, Japan and Denmark have also contributed to the fund.

Atlantic Forest biome burnt areas (ha)

Caatinga biome burnt areas (ha)

Cerrado biome burnt areas (ha)

Pantanal biome burnt areas (ha)

Amazon biome burnt areas (ha)

Pampa biome burnt areas (ha)

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25/02/11

California aims to expand alternative bunkers

California aims to expand alternative bunkers

New York, 11 February (Argus) — California lawmakers will consider expanding alternative marine fuels use by ocean-going vessels on the state's coast. State senate bill 298, introduced by state senator Anna Caballero (D), would require the California State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission), the California Transportation Agency and the state board to develop a plan by 31 December 2030 for the use and deployment of alternative fuels at California's public seaports. The plan should identify significant alternative fuel infrastructure and equipment trends, needs, and issues and describe how the state will facilitate permitting and construction of infrastructure to support alternative fuels. The plan should also identify locations for alternative fuel infrastructure, provide a reasonable timeline for its installment and estimate the costs, including public or private financing opportunities. The bill also calls for the Energy Commission to convene a working group consisting of representatives of seaports, marine terminal operators, ocean carriers, waterfront labor, cargo owners, environmental and community advocacy groups, the Transportation Agency, the state board, the Public Utilities Commission, and air quality management and air pollution control districts. The working group will advise the commission. The US territorial waters, including California's, are designated as emission control areas (ECAs). In the ECAs, the sulphur content of marine fuel burned by ocean-going vessels is capped at 0.1pc. Thus ocean-going vessels within 24 nautical miles of California burn 0.1pc sulphur maximum marine gasoil (MGO). Ocean-going vessels could achieve the equivalent of 0.1pc sulphur marine fuel emissions by installing marine exhaust scrubbers. But California has banned their use. California is the only US state that has banned the outright use of marine scrubbers. California also requires that ocean-going vessels while at berth in California ports must either use shore power or use alternative technology such as batteries. The regulation came into force for container ships, reefers and cruise ships in 2023. It came into force this January for tankers visiting Los Angeles and Long beach and for roll on roll off vessels. Starting on 1 January 2027, it will apply to all tankers at berth in all California's ports. US harbor craft vessels (such as barges, commercial fishing vessels, excursion vessels, dredgers, pilot vessels, tugboats and workboats) in California's waters are required to burn renewable diesel (R99 or R100). By comparison, elsewhere in the US, harbor craft vessels are required to burn ultra-low sulphur diesel (ULSD). In January, Los Angeles ULSD averaged at $773/t and R99 at $962/t. By Stefka Wechsler Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Brazil plans Amazon forest concession sale


25/02/11
25/02/11

Brazil plans Amazon forest concession sale

Sao Paulo, 11 February (Argus) — Brazil's environment ministry will auction concessions in the Jaturana national forest, in northern Amazonas state, as part of government efforts to prevent deforestation. The government will sell four forest management concession areas with a combined 453,000 hectares (ha) in the Apui municipality. The concessions will require roughly R430mn ($7.4mn) in infrastructure investments and R3.4bn in operating investments over the 37-year concession period. The auction is scheduled for 21 May and will be held at the B3 exchange, in Sao Paulo state, to guarantee transparency and boost competition, the ministry said. The government plans to hold a roadshow to promote the concessions. The government estimates that the auction will generate concession payments of R32.6mn/yr, which will be split between federal environmental protection agencies, Amazonas state and the Apui city government. The winning bidders will be allowed to harvest up to six trees/ha for lumber from the concession area, according to the auction's terms elaborated by the Bndes development bank. Other select activities, including the production of açai fruit, Brazil nuts and tropical tree oils, such as copaiba and andiroba, will also be permitted. The concession terms stipulate that the winning bidder will not have control over the mineral or water rights of the region and will be required to invest in research and environmental education. With the sale of the Jaturana concessions, Brazil will increase the total amount of forest managed by the private sector — now at 1.31mn ha — by 35pc. Brazil has 23 concession contracts for nine national forests in five Brazilian states. The goal is to award a total of 5mn in forest concessions over the next three years. The Brazilian forestry service (SFB) is developing concessions for 11 other national forests, the head of the SFB Garo Batmanian said on Monday. Limiting deforestation is one of President Luiz Inacio da Silva's goals for his administration and a flagship of the country's ambitions for the UN Cop 30 summit, which will be held in Belem, the capital of northern Para state, in November. Brazil has been targeting reforestation as part of its efforts to meet its emissions-reduction target. But wildfires in the country are still a major concern, as they rose by 79pc in 2024 from a year prior , according to environmental network MapBiomas' fire monitor researching program. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Brazil’s January inflation lowest since 1994


25/02/11
25/02/11

Brazil’s January inflation lowest since 1994

Sao Paulo, 11 February (Argus) — Brazil's monthly inflation stood at 0.16pc in January, the lowest increase for the month since 1994 when the government enacted multiple measures to contain soaring inflation, according to government statistics agency IBGE. The consumer price index (CPI) slowed annually to 4.56pc from 4.83pc in December, heavily influenced by a 14.2pc tumble in power costs in January, compared with a 3.19pc drop in December. Power costs decelerated January's inflation by 0.55 percentage points — the major individual contributor to the annual drop, according to IBGE — thanks to a R1.3bn ($224mn) federal discount in power tariffs that month, CPI's manager Fernando Goncalves said. Food and beverage costs rose by an annual 7.25pc, decelerating from 7.69pc in December. Beef costs increased annually by almost 21.2pc following a 20.8pc gain in the month prior, while soybean oil costs decelerated to 24.55pc over the last 12 months from 29.2pc in December. Motor fuels prices rose by 11.35pc in January. Ethanol was responsible for the group's largest annual increase of 21.59pc, up from 17.58pc in the month prior. Gasoline and diesel prices also registered annual rises of 10.71pc and 2.66pc from 9.71pc and 0.66pc, respectively. Still, diesel prices remained at a 0.97pc monthly increase from December, while ethanol costs contracted by 1.82pc from 1.92pc and gasoline prices increased by 0.61pc from 0.54pc. Fuel prices are likely to keep increasing in February, as states increased the VAT-like ICMS tax on fuels and state-controlled Petrobras increased wholesale diesel prices by 6.3pc , both effective as of 1 February. Transportation costs rose by 1.3pc in January over the year, following a 0.67pc gain in December. Flight tickets were the most responsible for the increase, with a 10.42pc monthly gain from a 22.2pc contraction in December. Brazil's central bank is targeting CPI of 3pc with a margin of 1.5 percentage point above or below. The bank raised its target rate to 13.25pc in January after it failed to maintain Brazil's headline inflation under the ceiling of 4.5pc for 2024. Further increases are expected in the coming months, the bank said. The central bank has recently changed the way it tracks the inflation goal. Instead of tracking inflation on a calendar year basis, it will now monitor the goal on a 12-month basis. In 1994, Brazil enacted its Plano Real, a series of measures to stabilize the economy and detain soaring inflation, which had hit an annual 916pc by the end of that year. One of the measures was to change its currency to the real from the cruzeiro real. By Maria Frazatto Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Most nations miss NDC deadline, while ambition varies


25/02/10
25/02/10

Most nations miss NDC deadline, while ambition varies

London, 10 February (Argus) — The majority of countries that are party to the Paris climate agreement have missed the deadline to submit new national climate plans, while research group Climate Action Tracker (CAT) found that several are not aligned with Paris accord goals. Just 12 countries had submitted new climate plans, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs), by time of writing today — the UAE, Brazil, the US, Uruguay, Switzerland, the UK, New Zealand, Andorra, Saint Lucia, Ecuador, Singapore and the Marshall Islands. UN climate body the UNFCCC had set 10 February as the deadline for countries to submit their third NDCs, setting out climate action and targets up to 2035. CAT said that of the six NDCs it analysed, just the UK's was aligned with the Paris agreement. The UK plan is "about the only bright spot" among the countries it tracks, CAT noted. But it warned that the UK government "has inherited a vast implementation gap" and must take "urgent action" to introduce and strengthen policies to ensure emissions reduction targets are reached. The UK aims to cut emissions by 81pc by 2035, from a 1990 baseline. The country should support its goals with more international climate finance to be "a fully 1.5°C aligned contribution", CAT said. The Paris agreement seeks to limit the rise in global temperature to "well below" 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and preferably to 1.5°C. CAT noted "a significantly more ambitious" target for 2035 from the UAE , compared with its 2030 goal, but flagged the need for details on the country's planned emissions cuts. It noted a "lack of transparency" in Brazil's NDC and found that, despite an increase in ambition, New Zealand's 2035 NDC "falls short". Switzerland's new NDC "is diverging from a 1.5°C aligned pathway", CAT said. And it said that while the US is leaving the Paris agreement, the country"s NDC "can still be a guiding document for the roughly half of the US states who support continued climate action." But many climate policy observers have emphasised that higher ambition and comprehensive plans are far more important than timeliness. The EU, Canada, Mexico and Norway committed to new, Paris-consistent NDCs at the UN Cop 29 climate summit in November. Climate Action Tracker tracks around 40 countries and the EU, covering around 85pc of global emissions and 70pc of global population. The Paris agreement has a ratchet mechanism, which requires countries to review and revise climate plans every five years, increasing ambition. The UNFCCC deadline for NDC submissions is not enforceable. By Georgia Gratton Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

US rescinds UN climate fund pledges


25/02/10
25/02/10

US rescinds UN climate fund pledges

Washington, 10 February (Argus) — The US has canceled about $4bn in pledged money to the UN's Green Climate Fund, the latest sign a sharp policy shift under President Donald Trump. The State Department late last week said the US "has rescinded outstanding pledges to the Green Climate Fund," but did not provide any further details. The US under former presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama had pledged about $6bn combined to the GCF, with the most recent commitment announced at the Cop 28 climate talks in Dubai. But the two administrations were able to deliver only $2bn of the funding. The cancellation of the GCF pledges is just the latest step by Trump to quickly reverse course for US climate and clean energy policies. Among his first acts after taking office last month Trump ordered the US to exit the Paris climate agreement and to pause spending on renewable energy projects. In addition, secretary of state Marco Rubio said the US would stop engaging in climate diplomacy. The GCF finances projects in developing and emerging countries with a focus on mitigation, adaptation and resilience efforts, such as climate-friendly agricultural methods, reforestation or coastal protection. It operates under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and was originally capitalized with $10.3bn in 2015. In two replenishment rounds since then, it has gathered more than $20bn in additional pledges. The fund has to date approved nearly $16bn for project in more than 130 countries and expects to approve another $3bn-worth this year. The fund said it "remains determined" to help developing countries achieve the highest level of ambition possible. "If pledges are not fully realized, our ability to support the climate ambitions of developing countries will be constrained," the GCF said. Finance for developing countries has been a major issue at UN climate talks. At last year's Cop 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, countries agreed to a "new collective quantified goal" of "at least" $300bn/yr for developing countries by 2035, with developing countries "taking the lead." The goal is meant to build on the $100bn/yr that developed countries agreed to deliver over 2020-25. The finance will come from "a wide variety of sources, public and private, bilateral and multilateral, including alternative sources". By Michael Ball Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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