Brazil has formally approved its entry into OPEC+, the coalition of major oil-exporting nations, just months before hosting the 2024 UN Climate Summit (COP30). This controversial decision underscores the nation’s growing role as the world’s seventh-largest oil producer, even as critics question its alignment with global climate targets.
The National Council for Energy Policy confirmed Brazil’s participation under the OPEC+ Charter of Cooperation, a non-binding framework for dialogue. Mines and Energy Minister Alexandre Silveira emphasized that Brazil will not adhere to mandatory production quotas.
We should not be ashamed of being oil producers. Brazil needs growth, jobs, and energy security,stated Silveira during Tuesday’s announcement.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration faces scrutiny for prioritizing oil exploration amid environmental pledges:
- Plans to drill near the Amazon River’s biodiverse estuary
- 2024 crude oil exports climbed to 13.3% of total trade
- Daily production: 4.3 million barrels (4% of global output)
This dual approach—advancing Amazon conservation while expanding fossil fuel projects—has drawn sharp criticism.
Choosing outdated solutions in a climate crisis is reckless,declared Suely Araújo of Brazil’s Climate Observatory, referencing the COP30’s focus on phasing out fossil fuels.
Brazil’s OPEC+ strategy highlights growing tensions between energy development and global climate mandates. With the U.S. producing 22 million barrels daily and Saudi Arabia at 11 million, the move could reshape energy geopolitics ahead of November’s pivotal climate talks.