At the end of the COP30, in Belém, or the so-called “Executive COP,” there is an outcome that is not always clear: governments set the goals, but it is the private sector that achieves most of the results, as a key partner in climate policy. A greater presence of Brazilian and foreign companies is not just institutional – it is strategic, legitimate and necessary to enable the implementation of global goals.
It is companies and entrepreneurs, especially those who live in the countryside, who are taking up green infrastructure, tracking the chain and applying regenerative technologies to address climate change.
What we saw at the Brazilian COP is that the productive sector is taking on this leadership role. The debate is no longer about “if” or “how” to implement this transformation. Now, the focus is on the speed and scale of this transformation, supported by three pillars: scale, technology and finance.
Brazil arrived in Belém with the responsibility of proving that production and conservation are not mutually exclusive. Productivity has become a tool for conservation. I have had the honor of leading Sustainable Business for the SB COP30, an initiative linked to the COP30 Presidency of the so-called Action Agenda, which has been responsible for mobilizing more than 40 million companies in more than 60 countries.
We have selected 48 global cases that demonstrate immediately applicable practices to accelerate the decarbonization of production chains. These are real-world processes, not corporate promises. Among the highlights are the technology applied to land use: in tropical agriculture, land is a carbon sequestration asset.
In the case of food production, for example, studies by the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV) presented at the conference show that regenerative agriculture actually allows farms to remove more carbon than they emit, and thus become more productive. It is the vital technology and management supporting economic assets.
For these models to become a global standard, we are working on three fronts that unleash the potential of the private sector. The first is science and standards. Capital declines in the face of uncertainty. In order to attract the resources needed for the energy and food transition, it is necessary to have clear and uniform standards based on science.
The second is technology with inclusion. Programs underway across the country show the potential to provide small-scale producers with access to the latest practices, which generate more income and reduce emissions. There is no sustainable chain excluding small suppliers. Technology must democratize efficiency.
The third and crucial factor is risk financing. Transforming food systems may require up to US$350 billion by the end of the decade. But today’s climate resources are slowly reaching a tipping point.
It is urgent that hybrid financial mechanisms be implemented, with guarantee funds and development banks bearing the first risk to unleash private capital. Environmental services must be rewarded: those who capture carbon protect springs and ensure biodiversity. He deserves to be paid for it.
The UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) leaves a fundamental legacy: sustainability has left the realm of social responsibility and become the focus of business strategy. The opportunities were clear in Belem. Brazil emerges from this event in a growing position as an environmental and technological power. The private sector has been mobilized. Now is the time to accelerate the transformation of commitments into action, with reduced emissions, social inclusion and sustainable value generation for the entire society. The time to implement is now.
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