German-Brazilian Cooperation for Green Projects

Germany and Brazil have a long partnership in various areas such as economy, tourism, and culture. Due to the deforestation of the Amazon and the awareness of the consequences, many projects for the conservation of the Amazon have been initiated. Over time, many green projects and other forms of collaboration have emerged around the theme of sustainability. But it did not stop there, other ecological projects followed, reaching into topics such as urban planning and tourism. We present some of these projects here, so that you can see many places with different eyes on your trip to Brazil!

The first German in Brazil can be considered Johannes Varnhagen, who was one of the astronomers in Pedro Álvares Cabral's fleet during the Portuguese occupation of Brazil in 1500. On September 7, 1822, Pedro Álvares Cabral declared Brazil independent and was subsequently named Emperor of Brazil. In 1823, Georg Anton Schäffer came to Germany as a plenipotentiary of the Brazilian Emperor to recruit settlers and mercenaries. Subsequently, German immigration began in Brazil, including from the Hunsrück and the Western Palatinate. Since 1867, both countries have maintained direct diplomatic missions.

Since the 1990s, Brazil and Germany developed an increasing economic self-confidence, as both benefited from new cooperation through the growing global economy. As a result, Brazil has become a partner country for German development cooperation and remains Germany's most important trading partner in Latin America. Cooperation focuses on the protection of the rainforest and the expansion of renewable energies. The portfolio of German development cooperation in Brazil had a total value of 1.94 billion US dollars in 2019.

Both German and Brazilian companies such as thyssenkrupp nucera and Unigel have signed a project to increase the capacity of the green hydrogen production plant in Bahia, Brazil, from 60 megawatts to 240 megawatts. This is an important step for both companies to continue their good cooperation to accelerate the green transformation through the development of the green hydrogen economy worldwide. The plant, owned by Brazilian chemical company Unigel, will be the first in Brazil to produce green hydrogen on an industrial scale. It is expected to be operational by the end of 2023. In the first phase it will have a total capacity of 60 megawatts, enabled by thyssenkrupp nucera's standard electrolysers. The initial production capacity will reach 10,000 tons/year of green hydrogen for the production of green ammonia in a quantity of 60,000 tons/year.

The green hydrogen and green ammonia will be offered to customers who want to decarbonize their production chains, such as steel industry, oil refineries, and ammonia producers. Green ammonia will also be used in Unigel's value chain, as it is a raw material for the production of fertilizers and acrylics. This will advance a green project for industry in Brazil, helping both German and Brazilian industry at the same time.

Urban development is one of the biggest current challenges. Brazil and Germany are working together to provide adequate, coordinated, and sustainable infrastructure. According to the United Nations Organization, more than half of the world's population currently lives in cities, and it is estimated that this proportion will grow to around two-thirds or about 6.7 billion people by 2050.

Germany is well above the world average in terms of the proportion of its population living in cities, at 85 percent and 74 percent respectively. In this context, intensified cooperation was initiated in 1962. Since then, individual measures and strategic concepts relating to the challenges of urban development have increasingly become a permanent fixture on the agendas of both countries. Of particular note is the city of Curitiba, which has taken a progressive approach to urban development, launching projects such as urban gardens and green recycling projects.

In 2015, the governments of both countries signed a cooperation agreement on sustainable urban development. These projects bring further benefits to the country. These include income and job creation, new markets for sustainable products, scientific discoveries, and interest from investors who are increasingly focusing on business ideas with a positive environmental impact.

In order to achieve all the sustainability goals, it is essential to preserve the forest, one of the biggest challenges for Brazil. Between 2019 and 2022, nearly 14,000 square miles of forest area were cleared, according to Imazon. On the road to overcoming these challenges and becoming a thriving and increasingly green economy, Brazil is counting on cooperation with Germany. To this end, poverty is to be combated and the rights of indigenous and traditional population groups guaranteed.

Faced with this important task, German cooperation relies on various instruments, including financial support for forest conservation projects to reduce greenhouse gases. Successful initiatives of this kind, with payments for corresponding results, are currently underway both at the federal level through the Amazon Fund and jointly with the states of Acre and Mato Grosso through the REM program. Securing effective protected areas is another fundamental component of existing and future projects.

Another important aspect is the appropriate remuneration of population groups whose livelihood is based on the tropical forest and whose activities contribute to a balanced use of the existing natural resources. In the Amazon, for example, cooperative investments are expanding the marketing of typical products such as açaí, Brazil nut, and pirarucu fish, always with a view to sustainable management. Marketing is promoted both at the national and international levels. Thanks to the involvement of more than 3,300 farming families in the public procurement system for school meals, 80,000 students have gained access to a healthier and more balanced diet. Some 180 cooperatives or small associations supported in this way have increased their sales by 25 percent.

This combination leads to the conservation of indigenous peoples and traditional communities, as they are closely linked to their respective habitats. In this sense, the protection of these territories is a sine qua non for the preservation of the human rights of these peoples and of future generations. In the last two years, the actions promoted by the Cooperation have reached about 65 percent of the indigenous territories in Amazonia. In the state of Mato Grosso, for example, they contributed to the inclusion of more than 40,000 indigenous people from 43 peoples in the political decisions of the state.

Brazil and Germany have a long history of cooperation. In the face of cultural and sustainability challenges, this cooperation is needed more than ever to shape a positive future for both sides. It is expected that many more projects will emerge in the coming years. With this in mind, you can now enjoy your green Brazil vacation all the more!

Sources: www.cooperacaobrasil-alemanha.com, www.dwih-saopaulo.org