Brazilian city powered by the most polluting fuel in the world could be annihilated by environmental pressures

How a city became dependent on fuel most polluting country in the world and now faces an uncertain future with pressure to reduce carbon emissions.

"We are not bad people for not wanting the plant to close, nor do we advocate for the planet to explode. We are not against the planet.” Thus, Gil Melo, a 34-year-old businesswoman and cook, defends what many consider indefensible: the use of mineral coal.

This is the fossil fuel that emits the most greenhouse gases, being one of the main causes of climate change, which has caused devastating natural disasters, such as the extreme rains that recently hit Rio Grande do Sul.

Candiot, a municipality in Rio Grande do Sul with 10,7 inhabitants, located almost 400 km from Porto Alegre, has its economy strongly linked to coal. “About 80% of our economy revolves around mineral coal,” says Mayor Luiz Carlos Folador in an interview with the BBC Brasil portal that can be read in full by clicking here.

The city is home to the largest open-pit coal mine in Brazil, with reserves estimated at 1 billion tons, in addition to two coal-fired thermoelectric plants. For decades, these reserves were a source of pride and an economic engine for the city.

According to the National Mining Agency (ANM), they could supply Brazil for around a hundred years. However, the future seems uncertain. Global pressure to cut greenhouse gas emissions puts Candiota in a vulnerable position.

International Pressure and Climate Disasters

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Reports call for drastic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. In May 2022, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the world to abandon its “addiction” to fuels fossil fuels, starting with coal, to limit global warming to 1,5ºC by 2100, as established by the Paris Agreement. Brazil has committed to zero net emissions by 2050.

The fear in Candiota is that the energy transition will occur before the city finds a new source of survival. Recently, Rio Grande do Sul suffered floods that killed more than 170 people, raising concerns that the coal economy will become a “scapegoat” for the tragedy and that initiatives to decline coal activity will be accelerated.

The History and Wealth of Coal in Candiota

The history of Candiota is inseparable from mineral coal. According to a report from the aforementioned portal, since imperial Brazil, the region was known for its coal reserves, used to power old forges. The first coal-fired thermal power plant was installed in 1961.

Currently, the two plants in operation are Candiota III and Pampa Sul, belonging to different economic groups, and are the city's main employers. “Candiota is an island in terms of economic support,” says Hermelindo Ferreira, former president of the Candiota Miners Union to the BBC Brasil website.

The coal industry transformed Candiota into one of the most prosperous municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul, with a GDP per capita of R$282 thousand in 2021, according to IBGE. It is estimated that at least 5 thousand of the 10,7 thousand inhabitants have direct or indirect jobs linked to the coal industry.

The Other Side of Prosperity

Candiota's prosperity has not come without controversy. According to the Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Removals Estimation System (SEEG), only 0,4% of Brazil's gross emissions in 2022 were produced by the generation of electricity from coal.

However, 74% of Brazilian emissions result from deforestation and agriculture. Furthermore, electricity generated with coal represents only 1,2% of the installed electrical capacity in Brazil, according to the Energy Research Company (EPE).

According to EPE, coal-fired electricity production accounts for 48,6% of greenhouse gas emissions from all electricity production with non-renewable sources. Research indicates that the situation in Candiota is even more serious, with the plants being the most inefficient and those that generate the most greenhouse gases per unit of energy produced in Brazil, according to reports from the Institute of Energy and Environment (IEMA).

Climate Anxiety and Economic Uncertainty

In 2017, an article in the journal of the American Psychiatric Association described the term “eco-anxiety” as the fear of climate catastrophe. In Candiota, residents fear both climate change and the end of the coal economy.

“There is a lot of anxiety among people here,” said Rosaurea Castaneda Greco, 61 years old, president of the Clube de Mães Mãe Cleci, also in an interview with the aforementioned website. She explains that her family, like many others, depends on coal for their subsistence.

Vera Regina Azambuja Rijo, 63, whose family also works with coal, expresses sadness and concern: “I feel very sad because when I hear this, the first thing that comes to mind is my children and grandchildren. Everyone depends on coal. If we run out of coal, what will happen to us?”, he reported.

The Coal Dilemma

Fernando Luiz Zancan, president of the Brazilian Sustainable Carbon Association (ABCS), argues that Brazil needs more time for the energy transition. “Brazil has made a commitment to have zero emissions by 2050. So, our deadline is 2050,” says Zancan.

He argues that the abrupt end to the use of coal would generate a significant social impact, especially after the tragedy in Rio Grande do Sul. Furthermore, she also defends a set of technological solutions to capture CO₂ emissions from coal burning and reinsert them. them in the ground.

“The issue is not to end coal. It is to end its emission,” states. However, Juliano Araújo, director of the Arayara Institute, refutes these arguments, highlighting that “there is no sustainable carbon” and that coal plants can be easily replaced by cheaper and safer energy sources.

Felipe Barcellos, from IEMA, also disputes the need for coal for Brazil's energy security: “The percentage of generation via coal plants is very low, and we already have other alternatives that can supply this energy diversification.”

Future and Perspectives

Candiota's future is full of uncertainty. Without concrete plans from the Brazilian government to end coal exploration, the city remains dependent on this fuel. The immediate concern is the end of energy supply contracts for the Candiota III plant, scheduled for December this year, which could generate a domino effect on the local economy.

“We are in contact with the authorities in Brasília to prevent this from happening,” says Mayor Luiz Carlos Folador. “You cannot take short, medium or long-term measures due to a climate phenomenon.”

What do you think should be done to help the city of Candiota find a sustainable alternative to mineral coal? Leave your opinion in the comments!