São Paulo – Brazil is ahead of other countries in the adoption of the green economy model. The new concept of economic development, aimed at improvement of environmental quality, started being promoted in the state of São Paulo this week. "This is the model that, sooner or later, is going to reach countries all over the world and some countries have taken the lead," said to ANBA the joint Environment Secretary of the State of São Paulo, Casemiro Tércio Carvalho.
According to him, the adoption of this model should bring to the country greater competitiveness on the foreign market. Apart from Brazil, Carvalho mentioned England, South Korea and India as examples of countries that are investing in the green economy. "Brazil taking the lead with this group of countries means that in the medium term we are going to have more competitive products and services as we have already internalized the costs and gains," said the joint secretary.
To promote this new concept, the Environment Secretariat of the State of São Paulo will promote, up to Friday (3), the 1st International Green Economy Business Bourse, a meeting whose objective is presentation of proposals for development with new ways for economic growth, new employment sources and solutions to improve the quality of life and of the environment. "The government of the state of São Paulo has incorporated the new concept of the green economy for sustainable development, which now requires a series of actions," said the state Agriculture and Supply secretary, João de Almeida Sampaio Filho.
According to him, São Paulo is the largest agricultural state in the country and the base of its economy is in agriculture. "It is the largest agricultural state as it is the most diversified, being sugarcane the main product of our agribusiness," said the secretary, who mentioned ethanol (derived from sugarcane) as an example of sustainable energy and that is part of the new concept of the green economy.
One of the reasons for the state of São Paulo to start promoting the importance of the green economy concept among investors, businessmen, entrepreneurs, universities and other organisations is the fact that the state has as its target the reduction of 20% of greenhouse gas emissions up to 2020, based on the emissions of 2005.
According to Carvalho, for the green economy to become a reality, it is necessary to consolidate three levels of operation: governmental recognition, market initiatives and concepts in productive processes as well as a society turned to consumption of this new environmental standard.
"Innovation is the key to the green economy," said Carvalho. According to him, the green economy is a synonym of opportunities, it is all that may be created from knowledge and research for the development of new products and services that replace the ancient model and that have clean mechanisms. This governmental work in the state was created after the 2008 financial crisis. "The economic scenery is unstable and I believe that what may bring this new stability is the creation of homogenous parameters for all international players with environmental quality," he said.
Establishing a basic rule for all products that may compete on the foreign market, according to Carvalho, is to provide a quality leap in the Brazilian market.
During the event, sustainable ideas in the areas of transportation, recycling, tourism, agriculture and forestry, technology and civil construction will be presented.
*Translated by Mark Ament
