The first day of the launch of the Center for Innovation, Research and Dissemination (CEPID) in Global Environmental Change Governance (FGV Earth) featured a morning debate on September 10 in São Paulo, with representatives from the public, private, and academic sectors discussing leadership for governance and innovation in climate action.
Opening the event, FGV Earth Coordinator José Antônio Puppim emphasized that the center’s mission is not only to produce knowledge, but also to disseminate it to anyone interested in applying it.
“Our center includes more than 30 researchers across six research areas: Institutions for Innovation; Business Practices; Environmental Economics; Marketing and Consumer Behavior; Leadership; and Cities.”
Guilherme Bastos, Coordinator of the Agribusiness Studies Center (FGV Agro), also participated and highlighted the potential synergy between the two centers, given the importance of addressing climate change impacts on agriculture and its connection to food security.
Climate Justice and Global South Leadership in the Climate Agenda
The first panel brought together leaders from Brazil, Colombia, and South Africa to discuss corporations and global environmental governance. The session was moderated by Maria Alejandra Gonzalez-Perez, Coordinator of the Master’s in Sustainability at Universidad EAFIT (Colombia).
In her presentation, Gonzalez-Perez outlined the trajectory of global warming, noting that despite some progress since 2015, the outlook remains alarming:
“We are on a path toward a 2.6°C to 2.8°C temperature increase by 2025, far from the 1.5°C target set by the Paris Agreement,” she warned.
She noted that the situation is even more critical in terms of implementation. Of the 1,500 global climate policies analyzed, only 63 led to significant emissions reductions. Additionally, there is an annual financial gap of US$6.3 trillion needed to enable the climate transition, highlighting the gap between commitments and actual execution.
Gonzalez-Perez stressed that this reality is even more challenging for the Global South, citing issues such as disproportionate climate vulnerabilities, institutional limitations, and barriers to accessing finance.
She presented a “reality check” of countries’ climate commitments (NDCs), showing that while the UK and Colombia stand out with ambitious targets and health co-benefits, countries like Mexico and Australia lag behind due to setbacks or lack of updates. Meanwhile, China, India, and the European Union, responsible for 67% of global emissions, have yet to show significant progress, remaining key missing players in the climate arena.
The international dimension of climate leadership was also addressed through the lens of financial justice. Gonzalez-Perez pointed out that less than 3% of climate funding reaches the least developed countries, and only 1% is allocated to local adaptation. Approval processes are slow and bureaucratic, taking an average of two to three years, while developing countries already face annual losses between US$290 and US$580 billion.
She advocated for a governance approach centered on climate justice, considering three dimensions: distributive (who pays and who benefits), procedural (who participates in decision-making), and recognition (whose knowledge is valued). She emphasized the intersectional vulnerability of groups such as women, Indigenous peoples, rural communities, urban poor, and future generations, who should be at the heart of these discussions.
Finally, she proposed reforms to the climate finance architecture, focusing on direct access to resources, simplified procedures, community-controlled budgets, and performance-based payments. According to Gonzalez-Perez, 2025 will be a “moment of truth” for global climate action, with decisive events like COP30 in Brazil and the review of major emitters’ commitments.
“The world is at a crossroads: continue with ‘business as usual,’ facing accelerated impacts and eroding trust in governance, or begin a revolution in implementation, with justice at the center of decisions and innovation at scale,” she declared.
Her presentation was followed by remarks from Dan Ioschpe, Climate High-Level Champion for COP30, who emphasized the need for collaboration between academia, policymakers, and businesses to “usher in a new era of implementation, moving from promises to action.”
Businesses as Agents of Climate Transformation
Next, Caroline Passuello, Sustainability Services Manager for Latin America at DNV, shared her perspective on how companies can contribute to combating climate change.
“We’re very close to a point of no return, and it’s approaching fast. If there’s a year to act, it’s this one,” Passuello began.
She acknowledged the complexity of the climate challenge but stressed that solutions are possible through collaboration and cross-sector cooperation. According to her, companies have enormous influence—not just through financial resources, but also through their ability to mobilize people, technologies, and supply chains.
One key point she raised was the role of corporations in funding decarbonization projects and pursuing emissions neutrality. Part of these investments should be directed toward developing new technologies and sustainable innovation.
She also highlighted the impact of supply chains, which account for around 80% of companies’ environmental impacts worldwide:
“Companies need to look beyond their direct operations. Most of the impact lies in the supply chain, and that’s where the greatest opportunity for transformation is.”
Passuello also discussed the role of artificial intelligence as an ally in sustainable management, especially in using data to map and optimize supply chains. She reinforced the importance of transparency as a core value in stakeholder communication:
“Transparency is essential. Companies must communicate clearly and honestly with all their audiences to build trust and generate real impact.”
She encouraged deeper discussion on how Brazilian companies and others from the Global South can lead climate solutions tailored to their realities, with leadership, innovation, and socio-environmental justice.
Her presentation was followed by a panel discussion featuring Ritesh Sharma, Executive Director of IFFCO Nanoventions Brazil and Chairman of the Board at NANOFERT, and Rui Mucaje, President of the Afro-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (AfroChamber).
Innovation and Green Transition
Gabriel Figueiredo, a specialist in Smart Cities, Future Urban Scenarios, and Public Policy, opened the second panel of the event, focused on innovation and the green transition. He presented innovation initiatives in industry with a focus on the Amazon region and highlighted Brazil’s potential in using biomass for fuel production.
Next, Renato Pacheco Neto, Honorary Consul General of Sweden in Brazil, discussed ways in which Sweden can collaborate with the State of São Paulo to promote sustainability, in partnership with Swedish companies operating in Brazil.
According to the Consul, Sweden was the first country to implement a carbon tax and has always been at the forefront of pioneering climate change solutions through carbon trading:
“We have a regulated carbon market, and Brazil is now going through this process, so it’s important to promote this exchange of experience,” he stated.
Pacheco Neto also emphasized the importance of FGV’s role in this debate:
“The academic space places us at a level of neutrality, which is why this space that FGV opens is so important, and Sweden wants to collaborate.”
The presentations were followed by a debate moderated by Fabiano da Rosa, Coordinator of the UN Global Compact Audit Committee (Brazil Network), with participation from Mauro Kiithi Junior, International Advisor to the Government of the State of São Paulo.
The event will continue on September 11 at 4 p.m., with the official launch of FGV Earth and the presentation of its research lines.
For more information, visit the FGV Earth website.