Brazil needs targeted policies to reduce methane emissions in agriculture
Warns new report from Climate Bonds Initiative
Highlights:
1. New report analyses public policies and financial instruments that drive methane abatement in Brazilian agriculture.
2. Agriculture is one of the largest drivers of methane abatement in Brazil, around 72% of methane emissions.
3. The study offers a comprehensive analysis of programs such as the Plano Safra, RenovAgro, and the Brazilian Sustainable Taxonomy.
Brasília, May 6, 2025, 09:00 BRT: The Climate Bonds Initiative has launched the Overview of Public Incentives for Methane Abatement Practices in Brazilian Agriculture report, detailing how current policies and programs have contributed, and can contribute further, to reducing methane emissions in Brazil’s agriculture sector. In Brazil, methane accounts for around 25% of greenhouse gas emissions, compared to approximately 17% globally.
The report acknowledges recent progress in Brazil’s climate agenda, through initiatives such as the Ecological Transformation Plan, the updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), and the development of a Sustainable Taxonomy. At the same time, it identifies opportunities to strengthen and expand the role of financial instruments and public policies in directly promoting low-carbon agricultural practices aimed at mitigating methane.
Programs such as Plano Safra, RenovAgro, and Eco Invest already show alignment with climate and environmental goals but could further evolve by more specifically targeting actions like degraded pasture recovery, adoption of animal waste management technologies, and use of feed additives to reduce enteric fermentation. The study also suggests using the Climate Bonds Agriculture Criteria as a technical tool to help both public actors and investors identify high-impact climate finance opportunities.
“Brazil has made significant progress in tackling deforestation, but to meet its climate goals, it’s also essential to tap into the vast mitigation potential of the agriculture sector. Allocating capital and guiding public policy toward methane reduction and resource-use efficiency in this sector represents a strategic step forward,” says Leonardo Gava, Brazil Programme Manager at the Climate Bonds Initiative and co-author of the study.
The report serves as a starting point for discussions on strengthening existing tools and developing new mechanisms to accelerate the transition to low-carbon agriculture in Brazil.
Special thanks to the Climate Policy Initiative for reviewing the report.
Links e resources:
Read the full report
Climate Bonds Agriculture Criteria
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For interviews and more information, contact:
Letícia Braga
Communications Specialist,
Climate Bonds Initiative
+55 61 99248-7070
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