The Brazilian government launched the Climate Plan on Monday, March 16, 2026, in Brasília, a document that guides both the country and society in addressing the climate crisis.
It outlines mitigation and adaptation actions for Brazil to transition to a low-carbon economy that is sustainable from a socio-environmental perspective.
The main goal of the plan is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 59 percent to 67 percent by 2035, relative to 2005 levels. This reduction will pave the way for Brazil to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The plan’s development began in 2023, involved 24,000 participants, and produced approximately 5,000 proposals, which were synthesised and selected by the Interministerial Committee on Climate Change (CIM), composed of 25 ministries.
Climate emergency
“We had a process with broad participation from civil society,” noted Environment and Climate Change Minister Marina Silva.
According to her, “the Climate Plan will guide the government’s actions on adaptation and mitigation” and will help reorient actions on development agendas.
“We are living through a very serious climate emergency,” said Minister Marina Silva. “The Climate Plan is the government’s main strategy to address the climate problems that are already affecting us,” she added, referring to events such as extreme droughts and floods in the Amazon, and heavy rains with landslides in Minas Gerais, which caused 70 deaths.
Funding
Funding for the Climate Plan will come from Eco Invest Brasil (private investments), national and international cooperation through the Brazil Platform for Climate Investments and Ecological Transformation (BIP), and the National Climate Change Fund (Climate Fund), operated by the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES). This year, the Climate Fund will have over BRL 33 billion available.
In response to Brazil unveiling its updated national climate plan, 350.org welcomed progress on tackling deforestation but warned the plan falls short of the urgent action needed to phase out fossil fuels and tackle the growing fuel crisis engulfing Brazil.
The new plan, the first update since 2008, sets out Brazil’s pathway to cut emissions by up to 67% by 2035 and reach net zero by 2050, with a continued focus on ending deforestation, a major driver of emissions in the Amazon. However, campaigners say the plan lacks the ambition needed to rapidly transition away from oil, gas and coal, particularly as Brazil remains one of the world’s top emitters.
João Henrique, Brazil team lead at 350.org, says: “The current hike in diesel prices makes it explicit: fossil fuels are unstable and unreliable. When problems happen – like a war we have no control over – it’s everyday people who pay the price while big corporations cash in at our expense. This shows focusing on land use is not enough. Brazil needs to commit to a full fossil fuels phase out, sooner rather than later.
“Brazil’s renewed focus on ending deforestation is critical and welcome. But transitioning away from fossil fuels and fully embracing Brazil’s vast renewable energy potential is essential to bring down costs, reduce inequality and build a resilient energy system. Governments must move beyond broad commitments and deliver clear, time-bound roadmaps to end fossil fuel production and use.”
Brazil’s plan has been praised for its broader scope and inclusion of adaptation measures, but civil society groups have highlighted the lack of concrete steps to drive the structural economic transformation needed to meet global climate goals.
Henrique adds: “The lack of a clear fossil fuel phaseout roadmap comes at a time when Brazil’s energy system is already under pressure. With electricity prices around R$130/MWh and lower-income households spending up to 18% of their income on energy, the need for a fair and accelerated transition has never been clearer.
“However, when it comes to fossil fuels, Brazil’s Climate Plan does not respond to this challenge – on the contrary, it reinforces existing contradictions. The science is clear, there is no pathway to 1.5°C without a rapid and just phaseout of oil, gas and coal. Countries like Brazil have a crucial role to play, and that means aligning climate plans with a full transition away from fossil fuels.”
The announcement comes ahead of the first global conference on phasing out fossil fuels holding from April 24 to 29, 2026, and hosted by the governments of Colombia and the Netherlands, where pressure is mounting on major economies to commit to clear timelines to end fossil fuel production.