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Brazil Sectors

What is Brazilʼs pathway to limit global warming to 1.5°C?

Emissions from Brazil’s building sector have been falling in recent years, dropping by 24% 2015-2020.1 Electricity made up a 61% share of buildings’ final energy demand in 2019. The share of biomass and natural gas were similar, accounting for 18% each.

To ensure Brazil’s building sector is 1.5°C aligned, direct CO₂ emissions would need to reach zero by 2025-2037.

Due to climatic conditions in Brazil, the percentage of energy used for heating is relatively low, but is counterbalanced by large cooling energy demands.1 Brazil has some measures in place to promote energy efficiency in public and private buildings but still needs to implement policies with concrete measures beyond voluntary certifications or standards for new buildings and renovations.

The main energy efficiency labelling policy and standards are covered by Law 10.295 in the framework of the Brazilian Labelling Plan (PBE), which includes: refrigerators, lighting, ovens, water heaters and others.3

1 Climate Transparency. Brazil: Climate Transparency Report. 2021.

2 Ministerio de Minas e Energia – MME. Plano Decenal de Expansão de Energia. 2021.

3 Empresa de Pesquisa Energetica EPE & Ministerio de Minas e Energia. Atlas of Energy Efficiency Brazil 2020.

4 Gütschow, J., Jeffery, L., Gieseke, R. & Günther, A. The PRIMAP-hist national historical emissions time series (1850-2017). V.2.1. GFZ Data Services (2019) doi:10.5880/PIK.2019.018.

5 Silva Junior, C. H. L. et al. The Brazilian Amazon deforestation rate in 2020 is the greatest of the decade. Nat Ecol Evol 5, 144–145 (2021).

6 IPAM. Amazon records deforestation in the first half of 2022. IPAM Amazonia. 2022.

7 Goverment of Brazil. 4th Biennial update report (BUR) of Brazil. 2020.

8 Climate Action Tracker. Brazil. September 2022 update. Climate Action Tracker. 2022.

9 Ministry of Mines and Energy MME. Brazilian Energy Balance Summary report 2020. 2021.

10 Empresa de Pesquisa Energetica EPE & Ministerio de Minas e Energia. Plano Decenal de Expansäo de Energia 2031. EPE. 2022.

11 Goverment of Brazil. Brazil NDC update. 2022

12 Federative Republic of Brazil. Intended Nationally Determined Contribution INDC. Preprint at www4.unfccc.int/sites/submissions/INDC/Published%20Documents/Brazil/1/BRAZIL%20iNDC%20english%20FINAL.pdf (2016).

13 Searchinger, T., Waite, R., Hanson, C. & Ranganathan, J. Creating a sustainable food future: A menu of solutions to feed nearly 10 billion people by 2050. World Resources Report (2019).

14 Cruz, T., Imperio, M., Baptista, L. B., Angelkorte, G. & Arroyo, E. Plano de descarbonizacao para o Estado de Minas Gerais dentro de um Brazil clima neutro em 2050. Relatorio sintese da modelagem integrada para o Brasil. 2022.

15 Arias, M. E. et al. Impacts of climate change and deforestation on hydropower planning in the Brazilian Amazon. Nat Sustain 3, 430–436 (2020).

16 Climate Transparency. Climate Transparency Report. (2020).

17 Ministerio de minas e Energia. Programa Nacional de Hidrogênio – PNH2. 2022.

18 Henriques, M. & Esturba, T. The role of the industrial sector in Brazil’s energy emissions. WRI Brasil. 2018.

19 Agencia Nacional do Petroleo, G. N. e B. RenovaBio. Ministerio de Minas e Energia. 2022.

20 Carlier, M. Electric and hybrid motor vehicle registrations in Brazil from 2006 to 2021. Statista. 2022.

Brazilʼs energy mix in the buildings sector

petajoule per year

Scaling
Low energy demand
20192030204020502 0003 000
High energy demand - Low CDR reliance
20192030204020502 0003 000
  • Natural gas
  • Coal
  • Oil and e-fuels
  • Biofuel
  • Biogas
  • Biomass
  • Hydrogen
  • Electricity
  • Heat

Brazilʼs buildings sector direct CO₂ emissions (of energy demand)

MtCO₂/yr

Unit
510152019902010203020502070
  • Historical emissions
  • High energy demand - Low CDR reliance
  • Low energy demand

1.5°C compatible buildings sector benchmarks

Direct CO₂ emissions and shares of electricity, heat and biomass in the buildings final energy demand from illustrative 1.5°C pathways for Brazil

Indicator
2019
2030
2040
2050
Decarbonised buildings sector by
Direct CO₂ emissions
MtCO₂/yr
20
5 to 16
1 to 3
0 to 1
2025 to 2037
Relative to reference year in %
−76 to −20%
−97 to −87%
−99 to −93%
Indicator
2019
2030
2040
2050
Share of electricity
Percent
61
85 to 87
92 to 97
95 to 97
Share of heat
Percent
0
0
0 to 1
1
Share of hydrogen
Percent
0
0
0
0

Footnotes