Amidst Fuel Crisis, Brazil Climate Plan Falls Short on Fossil Fuel Phaseout as Governments Urged to Deliver Clear Roadmaps
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 Cerqueira, 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.
“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.” João Cerqueira adds.
The announcement comes ahead of the first global conference on phasing out fossil fuels April 24-29, 2026, 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.
ENDS