Biofuels in Brazil

• 1970s: Brazil took action to diversify its energy sources to combat concerns about its energy security
• Since: invested in alternative energy sources, initially in hydroelectricity but more recently in biofuels
• Today 4% of its energy comes from renewables

  Approx 90% new passenger vehicles sold in Brazil contain the flex-fuel engines that work using any combination of petrol and sugar cane ethanol

  All caused significant decrease in CO2 emissions
• Brazil = now world's largest producer of sugar cane and leading exporter of sugar and ethanol
• 2019/2020: Sugar cane production of estimated to be 643 mn tonnes and concentrated in central southern region

  Since 2003: area planted with sugar cane increases significantly
• Due to sugar cane production being concentrated in one area, displacement of other types of agriculture (particularly cattle pasture) is called as a result
• Domino effect: now increased need to create replacement pastures -> large scale clearance of tropical rainforest -> deforestation -> cancels out decrease in CO2 emissions related to increased use of ethanol