Study led by Glaucia Souza points out ways to decarbonize transportation without affecting food production
The decarbonization of transportation was the central theme of the seminar “Brazil in Motion: Energy and Food Security - The paths to success for biofuels and bioelectrification”, promoted by the Cooperation Agreement on Low Carbon Mobility for Brazil (MBCBrasil), held on June 16, in São Paulo. The meeting brought together representatives from the public sector, government, private initiative and academia, and marked the presentation of the study “Biofuels as an immediate and effective solution for the decarbonization of transportation”, led by Professor Glaucia Souza, PhD, from the University of São Paulo (USP) and coordinator of the Bioen Program at FAPESP, who received the highest level of recognition from the Brazilian Government last month, the title of Commander of the Order of Rio Branco, from the hands of the President, for her notable contribution to scientific diplomacy and the advancement of sustainability.
The study presented sent a clear message that Brazil does not need to wait for future technological innovations to reduce its transport emissions. The document, produced with the support of Be8, reveals that bioenergy already accounts for 50% of global renewable resources and that biofuels are vital to curbing global warming, with a need to expand 2,5 times by 2030. This would represent a cut of almost 800 million tons of fossil CO2, or 10% of current global transport emissions.
During the opening of the Seminar, José Eduardo Luzzi, coordinator of the Board of Directors of MBCBrasil, highlighted the importance of the meeting. "This seminar is a milestone for the debate on sustainable mobility in the country. Our goal is to present concrete, science-based solutions and reinforce that Brazil has immense potential to lead the decarbonization of transportation. We have the technology, the production capacity and a history of success in the use of biofuels. Transforming this potential into action, both in the field of biofuels and bioelectrification, is a matter of strategy and commitment," he stated.
Professor Glaucia Souza, in her presentation, highlighted the transformative potential of biofuels in one of the largest transportation markets in the world. “Biofuels are much more than an alternative, but a reality that Brazil already dominates. They play an essential role in the transformation of the transportation sector, not only by reducing CO₂ emissions, but also by the possibility of integration with existing technologies, providing a direct impact on climate change mitigation and socioeconomic development,” said the professor.
The study also refutes one of the most common criticisms of the use of biofuels: the alleged competition with food production. According to Glaucia, the data analyzed show that this correlation is not scientifically supported.
The research reinforces that agriculture can, in parallel, provide biomass for various products, such as food, biofuels, bioelectricity, other uses and recycling waste. Furthermore, agricultural practices such as double cropping have shown that agriculture can contribute to achieving carbon neutrality, improving land use efficiency and promoting co-benefits such as biodiversity and carbon sequestration in the soil. "Demystifying this false competition between food and bioenergy is essential. Biofuels, when produced sustainably, can be a driver of development and enhance the sustainability of the agricultural sector, opening up new markets and adding value to our production", highlighted Professor Glaucia Souza.
The debate also included the participation of Erasmo Carlos Battistella, CEO of Be8; Evandro Gussi, president and CEO of the Sugarcane and Bioenergy Industry Union (Unica) and member of the MBCBrasil board; Arnaldo Jardim, federal deputy, rapporteur for the fuel of the future and was led by Priscilla Cortezze, Communications Director at Copersucar. According to the Be8 executive, biofuels represent an opportunity to modernize and strengthen Brazilian industry, especially in the field of bioenergy. “Our mission is to defend the use of biofuels as a tool for decarbonization, in addition to promoting the strengthening of the agricultural sector and the national production chain,” stated Erasmo Battistella.
Gussi added that there is a need for a favorable regulatory framework, with consistent and long-term public policies. “There must be a foundation for the biofuels sector to continue innovating and expanding its contribution to the Brazilian energy matrix and to meeting environmental goals. The dialogue fostered by MBCBrasil is essential to build these bridges between the sector and the government, ensuring predictability and security for the necessary investments.”
The study also places biofuels as one of the pillars for the formation of a 'green economy' in Brazil. With the increase in global demand for low-carbon solutions, projections indicate that, by 2030, Brazil could significantly increase its share of the global biofuels market, positioning itself as a world leader in the sector and generating thousands of new sustainable jobs.
“Together, we can transform Brazil into a global example of how biofuels will be one of the solutions for decarbonization. By combining our knowledge, technology and production capacity, we are able to show the world that it is possible to combine agricultural production and sustainability. MBCBrasil is at the forefront of this transformation, promoting the integration of biofuels and bioelectrification as complementary paths to low-carbon mobility. This seminar is another concrete step in this direction,” concluded Luzzi.