Reducing the effects and seeking to adapt Minas Gerais to the global climate change scenario are priorities for the State Government. In this sense, the decree establishing the Intragovernmental Committee on Energy and Climate Change (CIMC) was published today in the Official Gazette.
The group's purpose is to support the development and monitor the implementation of actions and public policies on climate change and renewable energy, within the scope of the Executive Branch.
In practice, it will have the role of guiding and monitoring the development of actions by Public Administration bodies and entities that directly or indirectly impact the commitments assumed by the State in the global Race to Zero campaign, to achieve net carbon emissions neutrality by 2050 and adapt the state to the effects of the climate crisis.
The main objective that is intended to be achieved with the regulation is to establish a government body that coordinates the transversality of the climate agenda in the state.
The group will be responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Climate Action Plan (PLAC) targets and updating the Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Removals Inventory. The committee will also propose improvements and updates to the PLAC.
“Governor Romeu Zema’s objective is to place all government agents, such as secretariats, agencies and autonomous bodies that are related to the Climate Action Plan under a single command, to ensure that Minas can continue to lead carbon neutralization actions over the coming years,” says the State’s vice-governor, Professor Mateus, who will preside over the CIMC.
The committee will also be a body for preparing proposals for economic and financial mechanisms to be adopted to enable the implementation of strategies, as well as the regulation and application of economic instruments, especially the carbon market, to promote a neutral economy in net carbon emissions.
The committee, which will be chaired by the state's vice-governor, will be composed of the Secretaries General; Environment and Sustainable Development; Health; Social Development; Economic Development; Government; Culture and Tourism; Civil Affairs; Infrastructure, Mobility and Partnerships; and Agriculture, Livestock and Supply. The committee will also include representatives from the State Civil Defense Coordination Office (Cedec), Invest Minas, the Fire Department, Cemig and Copasa.
The CIMC will meet, on an ordinary basis, every six months and, on an extraordinary basis, upon call by its president.
"We were the first state to have our inventory ready, the first to put the Climate Action Plan in place and, now, institutionalizing the monitoring of compliance with goals and strategies to ensure that we can monitor what the private sector is doing and can regulate the actions of the government and our branches to ensure that Minas continues to evolve and move forward", highlights Professor Mateus.
In the coming days, the Government of Minas Gerais will begin yet another participation in the New York Climate Week, in the United States, one of the main events on the global climate agenda, organized by the Climate Group, in partnership with the United Nations (UN).
The event, which begins on Sunday (22/9), will place greater emphasis on subnational governments to work with the private sector to drive the energy transition.
Minas Gerais will be represented by Vice-Governor Professor Mateus and the State Secretary for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Marília Melo, who will participate in several panels.
On Monday (23/9), the vice-governor participates in the debate “Promoting renewable energy in Latin America: the role of companies and subnational governments”.
Minas Gerais has the authority to speak on the subject, as it is working to diversify its energy matrix, including increasing the share of renewable sources and implementing new technologies to improve efficiency and sustainability.
Proof of this is that the state is a leader in the production of solar energy in Brazil, having reached 9 GW of installed capacity, largely due to the Sol de Minas Project, which aims to leverage the state's leading role in photovoltaic solar generation.
Also on Monday, Secretary Marília will participate in the panel “Forging the future: how public sector action can support the decarbonization of steel to create a net-zero steel market”. The panel will discuss the main actions that states can take to ensure a net-zero steel future.
In the state, the steel industry has been adopting initiatives to adapt to decarbonization, such as the creation of the Industrial Decarbonization Center by ArcelorMittal and the Federation of Industries of Minas Gerais (Fiemg) and research and development initiatives by companies. In addition, Usiminas announced a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions per ton of steel by 15% by 2030.
In addition to the debates mentioned, the vice-governor and the secretary participate in other panels, both as speakers and listeners, until 26/9.
New York Climate Week, now in its 16th edition, takes place annually and brings together world leaders and representatives from various countries and states in the areas of business, government, civil society and the climate sector.
For Secretary Marília Melo, participation in New York Climate Week reinforces the Minas Gerais Government's commitment to the climate agenda, as it will be an opportunity to learn about success stories in other countries, share experiences and seek investment to implement actions planned in the state through the Climate Action Plan.
“This is an absolutely important step so that Minas Gerais can present effective results on the climate agenda every day, demonstrating its commitment to environmental responsibility and the sustainability that the Government of Minas Gerais has,” he concludes.
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