Brazil Calls on Global Leaders to Support Sustainable Fuels

November 08, 2025

Print This Article Share it With Friends

(Molecule Group) Brazilian President Lula urged countries to support the Belém 4X Pledge on Sustainable Fuels during the Global Climate Leaders’ Summit. “Belém 4x” aims to provide political support and foster international cooperation to at least quadruple the use of sustainable fuels by 2035.

The Belém 4X Pledge on Sustainable Fuels was co-sponsored by Brazil, Italy, and Japan and endorsed by 16 more countries in advance of the Climate Leaders’ Summit. Brazil indicated that they will use their 2026 COP Presidency to increase the number of countries supporting this initiative. Initial signatories include Armenia, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Italy, Japan, Maldives, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, the Netherlands, Panama, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Sudan, and Zambia.

The Pledge is underpinned by IEA’s recent Delivering Sustainable Fuels report, which outlines a pathway to achieve 4X sustainable fuels under existing policy frameworks. Sustainable fuels include hydrogen, hydrogen derivatives, biogas, biofuels, and synthetic fuels.

Molecule Group welcomes the Belém 4X Pledge as an important signal that sustainable fuels are fundamental to achieving energy security, fostering sustainable development, and mitigating climate change.

In anticipation of COP30, Molecule Group convened sustainable industries to convey policy and innovation priorities to Brazil’s incoming COP30 Presidency. These efforts culminated in Molecule Group CEO Gerard Ostheimer presenting a Sustainable Industries Letter to now COP30 Brazil President André Aranha Corrêa do Lago in a joint meeting between the Brazilian Government, IEA, CEM during Climate Week NYC.

The Sustainable Industries letter communicated Sustainable Fuels Industry Principles that Molecule Group developed by convening industry leaders from around the world throughout 2025. Molecule Group is pleased to see considerable alignment between the principles espoused in the Belém 4X Pledge on Sustainable Fuelsand the Sustainable Fuels Industry Principles. Importantly, these complementary documents support policy levers designed to ensure GHG reductions and sustainability, that if implemented will remedy concerns regarding the sustainability of biofuels and sustainable molecules more broadly.

Molecule Group congratulates the Governments of Brazil, Italy, and Japan on this global milestone. We look forward to serving as a catalyst for solving policy issues that will help the world implement a quadrupling of sustainable fuels, and the broader environmental and economic goals outlined in the Pledge. READ MORE / MORE (Advanced Biofuels USA has endorsed this letter)

Related articles

Earth 'can no longer sustain' intensive fossil fuel use, Lula tells COP30 (Phys.Org)
Cop: Brazil calls for fossil fuel phase-out roadmap (Argus Media)
Cop: 15 nations join sustainable fuels pledge: Update (Argus Media)
Biofuel pledge at climate summit highlights India’s ethanol blending debate (Associated Press)
Cop: Sustainable fuels pledge support could grow: Engie (Argus Media)
Brazilian President Calls For Fossil Fuel Phase Out, launches Biofuel Push at COP30 (Carbon Copy)
STATEMENT: Brazil Announces Pledge to Quadruple ‘Sustainable Fuels’ (World Resources Institute)
Lenny’s Way: How the Global Bioeconomy Found Its COP30, G20 Game Plan (Biofuels Digest)
Delivering Sustainable Fuels: Pathways to 2035 (International Energy Agency (IEA))
Chile, Mexico, Panama and 16 other countries support quadrupling the use of biofuels (swissinfo.ch)
Brazil May Quadruple Biofuel Production by 2035 (SEE News)
Can Global Output of Sustainable Fuels Be Quadrupled? (The Dialogue Energy Advisor)
Biofuels: Hope Or Hype? (Clean Technica)
Doubling liquid biofuel consumption by 2035-the goal of COP30 (Searchlight)

Excerpt from Phys.Org: Lula (Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva) lamented the "pressure and threats" that led the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to postpone a plan to curb shipping emissions, and also spoke of the need to pursue alternative fuels for transport and industry including ethanol.

...

Lula's "roadmap" presented on day one of the summit—a pathway to halting deforestation, reducing fossil fuel use, and finding the money to achieve those goals—was applauded from the floor.

A formal anti-fossil fuel decision in Belem is unlikely, given the requirement for consensus among nearly 200 countries attending the conference.

Still, COP30 will put a spotlight on countries' voluntary pledges and their implementation, which could lead to fresh announcements on methane—a "super pollutant" and the main component of natural gas, prone to leaking from pipelines and installations. READ MORE

Excerpt from Argus Media: Lula said that to do so, the world must overcome the "disconnect between diplomatic circles and the real world", calling on countries, companies and individual people to put the fight against climate change at the centre of their decisions.

Lula asked leaders to address the "disconnect between the geopolitical context and the climate emergency," saying that "extremist forces fabricate falsehoods [about climate change] to gain electoral advantage" and that armed conflicts take resources that should instead head towards tackling global warming.

Lula called for global leaders to mobilise the resources necessary to achieve the transition away from fossil fuels and reverse deforestation. Finance — public and private — will remain a key focus at Cop 30, after some developing countries disputed a new $300bn/yr finance goal agreed last year in Baku.

The Baku to Belem roadmap released yesterday charted a path towards delivering climate finance flows of $1.3 trillion/yr by 2035 for developing nations.

A range of taxes, including on aviation or maritime transport, luxury goods, financial transactions and corporate and wealth taxes, could help finance that climate action, according to the roadmap. READ MORE

Excerpt from Argus Media: "We won't be able to decarbonise if we don't have green molecules that can be used as fuel," Clamadieu (Engie chairman Jean-Pierre Clamadieu).

The focus on sustainable fuels is a natural complement to the pledge to triple renewable energy by 2030 that 118 countries signed on to at Cop 28 in Dubai in 2023, according to Clamadieu. READ MORE

Excerpt from Carbon Copy: Earlier this week, the Baku to Belém Roadmap released a plan for how to mobilise at least $1.3 trillion in climate finance by 2035. On day one of the Summit, Brazil launched its new Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), gaining over $5.5bn starting capital. The biggest contributions came from Norway, and Australian billionaire Andrew Forrest became the first philanthropic investor with a $10 million pledge.

Global Leaders and Experts Welcome the Move

Many leaders across the world welcomed the move, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz saying that for Germany, the focus is on innovation and technology to successfully tackle climate change.

Indian ambassador to Brazil, Dinesh Bhatia, said that India is already five years ahead of schedule on its NDCs. Between 2005 and 2020, India has reduced emission intensity of GDP by 36%, and this trend continues. Meanwhile, India is now the third largest producer of renewables, with non-fossil fuel-based energy accounting for 50% of total installed capacity.

Alejandra López, Director of Climate Diplomacy, Transforma, said, “Excellent signals from the Brazilian presidency with Lula referring to the phase-out of fossil fuels and supporting the launch of the TFFF, which addresses the main source of emissions in the world, the energy sector, and the main source in Latin America, which is deforestation. Other world leaders must follow Brazil’s lead to make COP30 a success.” READ MORE

Excerpt from World Resources Institute: Following is a statement from Janet Ranganathan, Managing Director of Strategy, Learning and Results, World Resources Institute:

...

“That’s why both the land and the types of biomass used for fuels matter. The pledge says that efforts to scale up fuel use must be environmentally and socially responsible. But it does not include critical caveats from the IEA report: that biofuel expansion should not further increase cropland use, and that waste and residue-based biomass potentially offer a more sustainable pathway than feedstocks grown on dedicated land—although the amounts are limited, making scalability challenging. National policies should account for these important nuances.

“All countries should develop a strategy for how best to use their limited land to advance prosperity and meet people’s growing needs for food, while achieving climate and nature goals. These strategies should align with national pledges to halt deforestation and preserve existing ecosystems. Any mandates that intensify pressure on land risk undermining those commitments.

“More locally grounded research is needed to inform these strategies. For instance, how can Brazil best use its 40 to 100 million hectares of degraded land to meet its needs for food, wood products, jobs, revenue and energy, while protecting and restoring nature and meeting climate goals? As the demands on our land grow, while the planet’s land area stays the same, evidence-based land-use planning will be essential to balance competing priorities.” READ MORE

Excerpt from Biofuels Digest: It remains one of sport’s simplest truths — what happens when a team believes in its system, and in each other.

That’s the feeling in the air at COP30 in São Paulo this month. After years of missed shots and moral victories, the global bioeconomy has finally found its system — a coordinated offense built on the Belém 4X Pledge, the Osaka Call to Action, and the IEA Pathways report that gives the team a playbook everyone can see.

...

The International Energy Agency brought the diagrams and the data — the first clear picture of how the world could actually run the play. Its Delivering Sustainable Fuels: Pathways to 2035 report lays out an “accelerated case”: if nations fully implement existing and announced policies, global use of sustainable fuels can double by 2030 and quadruple by 2035.

That projection became the backbone of the Belém 4X Pledge, introduced by Brazil, India, Italy, and Japan. The pledge commits the world to that 4X target — not as wishful thinking, but as a credible, measurable trajectory.

Sustainable fuels are the complementary offense to electrification — the long-range shooters who score where batteries can’t: aviation, shipping, and heavy industry. For once, the team has a real system. Belém provides the scoreboard, Osaka brings the playbook, and the IEA keeps the stat sheet. Together, they sketch the first global offense that could actually win the game.

...

At COP30, accountability is finally on the box score. Two companion documents put structure behind the pledge:

The Osaka Call to Action (C2A) — endorsed by companies across the sustainable-fuels value chain — urges governments to design long-term, technology-neutral policies that create predictable demand and reward verified carbon reductions. It calls for life-cycle carbon accounting so everyone plays by the same metric.

The Biofuture Platform Declaration on Sustainable Chemicals and Materials, launched the same week, extends accountability into the chemical sector, where carbon isn’t burned — it’s built into everything we make. The declaration calls for cooperation on technology, supply-chain transparency, and international standards.

...

Beating the defense made of economics takes movement, not muscle.

Their six-play sequence could’ve been drawn straight from a Wilkens timeout:

Regional Roadmaps – tailor the plays to local floors.
Demand Predictability – mandates and procurement as the shot clock.
Transparent Accounting – every ton tracked, no hidden stats.
Innovation Support – fund the rookies, close the gap.
Integrated Supply Chains – feedstock to flight in one motion.
Accessible Finance – open the lane with grants and guarantees.

A 15 percent SAF blend by 2035 would raise ticket prices only 5–7 percent. Low-emission steel adds about 1 percent to an EV sticker. The cost wall is high, but not unscalable. Coordination is the ladder — and the play is passing beautifully.

...

The IEA estimates $1.5 trillion in cumulative investment between 2024 and 2035 across all sustainable-fuel pathways. That spending isn’t a cost; it’s an assist — the pass that keeps the play alive.

It’s a necessary assist against a tough defense: electrolytic hydrogen still runs nearly four times the cost of its fossil counterpart, and only sustained capital can bring the score even. Those investments could create two million jobs, many in rural and underserved regions where feedstocks grow and distributed refineries thrive.

It’s the global give-and-go: governments give policy certainty, investors give capital, innovators give solutions, and communities get the points.

The Biofuture Industry Council, in a statement after the 4X announcement, called for pivoting “from political outcomes to practical change.” The next big play: the U.S. G20 Presidency in 2026 — a fast break opportunity to turn this late-season surge into a championship run.

...

By 2035, sustainable fuels could cover 15 percent of aviation demand, 35 percent of shipping, and 5 exajoules of industrial energy — mostly from clean hydrogen in steel and chemicals. The Belém 4X Pledge cements those targets, while the Osaka Call to Action and Biofuture Declaration keep the plays in motion. READ MORE

Excerpt from SEE News: Brazil intends to increase its biofuel production fourfold by 2035. The announcement was made by the Minister of Mines and Energy of the Republic, Alexandre Silveira de Oliveira, at the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), held in Belem, Brazil, as reported by Brasil 247, a partner of TV BRICS.

According to the minister, this goal has already been supported by 19 countries. Silveira emphasised that this measure will strengthen Brazil’s leadership in clean energy and accelerate the global transition to renewable energy sources.

“This strategy strengthens the position of agribusiness, enables a more effective response to climate change, and drives forward the energy transition. As a result, we are not only countering global warming but also making our economy stronger,” said Silveira.

At the climate summit, 44 parties signed the Belem Declaration, aimed at addressing challenges related to climate change, hunger and poverty. The document provides for enhanced measures for adaptation and mitigation of climate change effects: social protection for the population, development of crop insurance in agriculture, targeted financing of projects for small farmers, and the establishment of specific indicators for assessing progress.

“We recognise that accessible social protection systems, capable of adapting to constantly changing needs, preparing for future risks and responding during crises, are among the most effective and efficient strategies for enhancing resilience, reducing vulnerability and protecting human life and dignity,” the document states, as published on the official website of the Government of Brazil.

The Declaration is also aligned with the collective goal for climate change financing adopted at COP29 in Baku. The aim is to attract around US$300 billion annually for developing countries. It is planned to increase the volume of climate financing to at least US$1.3 trillion per year by 2035, with developed countries expected to take the lead in this effort. READ MORE

Excerpt from The Dialogue Energy Advisor: Q: Brazil, India and Japan last month agreed to a draft declaration calling for a quadrupling of global low- and zero-carbon fuel production by 2035. The proposal, which will be discussed at this month’s COP30 U.N. climate change summit in Belém, Brazil, would encourage countries to boost their production of biofuels produced from agricultural products such as sugar cane and corn, as well as alternative fuels including green and blue hydrogen. What policy actions are needed to build economies of scale in sustainable fuel markets, both in Latin America and around the world? How likely is Brazil’s push to produce more sustainable fuel to be successful at COP30? To what extent does it appear that nations will substantively commit to reducing carbon emissions at the summit?

A: Priscila Bastos Pinheiro, principal analyst for biofuels analytics at S&P Global Commodity Insights: “Biofuels are poised to play a pivotal role in the energy transition, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation. First-generation biofuels, including ethanol and fatty-acid methyl esters (FAME), will remain critical for meeting decarbonization targets. To further support this sector, strategies such as sustainable agriculture, enhanced logistics and infrastructure, investments in renewable energy and potential applications of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) can positively influence the carbon intensity of low-carbon fuels. Developing the hydrogen market can also contribute to this goal. However, the role of biofuels cannot be overstated.

...

Clear sustainability criteria for biofuels are essential to ensure environmental integrity and foster consumer confidence.

...

A: Yuri Orse, strategic lead for Brazil at Jet Zero: ... Brazil and India already demonstrate that sustainable biofuels can deliver large-scale, low-cost carbon reductions. Brazil has a mature ethanol (E30 and E100) and biodiesel (B15) market, supplying a significant volume of its domestic transport fuel demand and preparing for the launch of sustainable aviation fuel mandates in 2027. India is also expanding ethanol blending and building a national biofuels market anchored in rural development and energy security.

...

Feedstock availability remains the key bottleneck, and nations like Brazil and India can ensure sustainable and price-competitive supply chains, provided global policies become interoperable (namely equivalent certification systems, lifecycle analysis and traceability tools). The success of this initiative at COP30 and beyond depends on bilateral and multilateral agreements that link commercial deals, regulation, technology and finance. East Asia appears ready to lead, ....

...

A: Jefferson dos Santos Estevo, researcher at the Center of Excellence in Hydrogen and Sustainable Energy Technologies (CEHTES) at the Federal University of Goiás: ... Now, at COP30, a new goal proposes a quadrupling by 2035 from 2024 levels, aligned with a recent IEA report emphasizing that progress must occur on multiple fronts to increase uptake.

...

Rising demand should drive higher production and lower costs. Therefore, including these objectives, even as non-binding targets, is crucial to the sustainable fuel idea. Furthermore, carbon credits and emissions trading, as well as robust financial incentives, are critical to scaling sustainable fuel production. READ MORE