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During an event at Firjan, Petrobras president Magda Chambriard stated that oil "is not the villain of emissions" and criticized limitations on Scope 3 reduction. The executive also expressed concern about the impasse in environmental licensing in Foz do Amazonas.
Amid the growing debate on energy transition, Petrobras president Magda Chambriard once again defended the importance of oil for the economic and social development of Brazil. During a meeting promoted by the Federation of Industries of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Firjan), last Tuesday (14), the executive declared that fossil fuel has been unfairly singled out as the great villain of global greenhouse gas emissions.
“Oil isn’t the biggest source of emissions,” Magda said, commenting on the need to balance economic growth with sustainability.
The statement reinforces the director's stance on maintaining Petrobras' commitment to its exploration and production projects, even in the face of environmental criticism. For her, oil remains essential to ensuring energy security and social well-being in the country.
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Petrobras and agribusiness: an alliance to reduce emissions
Magda Chambriard also highlighted the importance of a partnership between the oil and agribusiness sectors as a way to drive sustainable development. According to the president, both sectors can work together to find solutions that reduce emissions and strengthen the national economy.
However, critics point out that agribusiness is primarily responsible for greenhouse gas emissions in Brazil, particularly due to deforestation and the expansion of agricultural frontiers. Despite this, Magda argued that "climate issues and social development must go hand in hand," arguing that the country needs to balance environmental and social policies.
“If we want to live better because of the climate, we also want social well-being,” he declared.
Petrobras says it is aligned with the Paris Agreement, but faces criticism
The president assured that all of Petrobras' emissions reduction projects and policies are within the parameters established by the Paris Agreement, including initiatives aimed at the Equatorial Margin, the Pelotas Basin, and the pre-salt layer.
She stated, however, that the company faces limitations when it comes to reducing so-called Scope 3 emissions, which are those generated by the consumption of fossil fuels. According to Magda, this restriction is not a corporate decision, but rather a regulatory barrier.
"It's not Petrobras that's refusing to reduce Scope 3. Brazil is preventing Petrobras from doing so. We need to change the Fuel of the Future program and see how our co-processed product [fossil diesel with vegetable oil] will participate in this mandate," he explained.
In practice, the executive recognized that the decarbonization of fuels depends on government subsidies and incentives, which reinforces the need for long-term public policies for the energy sector.
Licensing at the mouth of the Amazon creates impasse and political tension
Another point that dominated the Petrobras president's speech was the environmental licensing situation for drilling a well in block FZA-M-59, located in Foz do Amazonas. Ibama requested new requirements before authorizing the operation and proposed a meeting with the state-owned company for this Wednesday (16).
Magda expressed concern about the contractual deadline for Foresea's ODN-II platform, which would be used in the exploratory campaign. The rig's contract expires on October 21st, which, according to her, increases the pressure on technical decisions.
“We are concerned about ODN-II because the contract term is running out,” warned the executive.
The impasse between Petrobras and Ibama has generated intense political debate and reactions from environmentalists, who warn of the risks of exploration in the Amazon region, considered a highly sensitive ecosystem.
Petrobras disputes survey showing public rejection of exploration in Foz
Amid the controversy, Petrobras also reacted to a Datafolha survey that revealed that 61% of the Brazilian population is against oil exploration in the mouth of the Amazon.
According to outlets such as FSP, The Globe e Economy in Focus, the company classified the result as “strange”, claiming that previous internal research, conducted with the support of independent institutes, presented a different public perception on the subject.
The state-owned company's reaction reinforces the current administration's confrontational tone in the face of environmental criticism. Magda Chambriard has repeatedly stated that Brazil cannot forgo exploiting its reserves, especially in a context of global energy demand and the need for economic growth.
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