Biofuels Could Add US$ 81.63 billion to Brazil’s GDP by 2030
Brazil
DJI Agriculture released the annual agricultural drone report, stating global adoption of the technology has reduced carbon emissions by 51 million tonnes and saved 410 million tonnes of water. The company highlighted the expansion of precision spraying and digital agriculture as tools to improve input-use efficiency and reduce environmental impacts in the field. (DJI Agriculture)
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and The National School of Public Administration have launched a free online course called “Carbon Markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement”. The training offers certification and covers international cooperation mechanisms and the functioning of carbon markets. Available at: https://www.escolavirtual.gov.br/curso/1500. (MMA; ENAP)
The Legislative Assembly of the State of Minas Gerais approved a favorable report in the 1st round on Bill No. 4338/25, which deals with amendments to the State Rural Development Fund and the State policy for sustainable irrigated agriculture. The text, adjusted through a substitute version, provides financial support for small dams, with priority given to projects related to water security and climate change adaptation. The proposal now proceeds for review by the Finance and Budget Oversight Committee. (ALMG)
The Federal University of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul inaugurated a laboratory dedicated to green hydrogen research, in partnership with Copa Energia and with support from the State’s government. The facility will study the use of green hydrogen mixed with LPG for industrial applications, aiming to reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency. The initiative positions the state at the forefront of the energy transition and could lead to cleaner fuel solutions by 2026. (Semadesc)
Brazilian Navy takes part in Operation Ágata Amazônia 2026, which mobilizes more than 1,600 Armed Forces personnel to combat environmental crimes and cross-border illicit activities. The operation takes place in the Western Amazon, with surveillance and territorial control actions, as well as support for Indigenous and riverside communities, including healthcare and social assistance services. (Agência Marinha de Notícias)
Itaminas and the Municipality of Sarzedo, Minas Gerais, presented to the UN a sustainable planning model that links mining activities to local development goals through 2035. The initiative includes measurable targets aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, public participation and project monitoring through an open platform. (Itaminas; Municipality of Sarzedo)
International project led by FAO and coordinated by Embrapa Environment aims to develop a new methodology to measure greenhouse gas emissions in aquaculture. The initiative brings together experts from several countries to fill gaps in climate inventories and support public policies, with a proposal to be submitted to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (Embrapa)
The Center for Meteorological and Climate Research Applied to Agriculture at the State University of Campinas has developed a tool to help coffee farmers measure greenhouse gas emissions, identify production bottlenecks and reduce costs in the field. The technology, developed in partnership with the Regional Cooperative of Coffee Farmers in Guaxupé, adapts an international methodology to Brazilian coffee farming and may support more efficient fertilization, soil management and beverage quality practices. (Cepagri; Cooxupé)
The Ministry of Agriculture said it will present the expansion and modernization of the meteorological station network in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, with 98 new Automatic Agrometeorological Stations replacing 44 older units. The agenda also includes delivery of vehicles, drones, tractors, a backhoe loader and laboratory equipment to strengthen agricultural defense and response capacity to extreme weather events. (MAPA)
Brazil’s Labor Prosecutor’s Office filed a civil lawsuit against JBS, alleging that the company bought cattle from farms in the State of Pará linked to slave-like labor conditions. The lawsuit seeks about US$ 24.08 million in compensation and increases socio-environmental pressure on Brazil’s beef supply chain, already scrutinized for deforestation, traceability and compliance risks in the Amazon. (MPT)
Marcos Planello, operations director at Neocert Certificações, said recent changes to the European Union Deforestation Regulation make compliance easier for exporters of agricultural commodities, timber and related products. Key points cited include the end of the “cascade” of declarations across the chain, simplifications for small farmers and low-risk countries, adjustments to the product scope and the planned creation of a European repository of laws and certifications to support proof of legality. (Neocert Certificações)
The Associated Group for Sustainable Agriculture and Syntropy Labs launched RegneraAI, a platform that uses artificial intelligence to organize data on regenerative agriculture in Brazil. The system integrates articles, technical manuals and field reports from farmers, with curation and traceability of information, to support decisions on production transition, soil management and sustainable farming practices. (GAAS; Syntropy Labs)
Study by FGV Agro concluded that biofuels could add US$ 81.63 billion to Brazil’s GDP by 2030, while also boosting jobs and decarbonization. The report assesses technologies linked to the ABC+ Plan and highlights bioenergy as a low-carbon driver with impacts on agribusiness, industry and the labor market. (FGV)
Soybean farmers in the State of Mato Grosso received US$ 1.21 million in bonuses for certified production, in an initiative linked to regenerative agriculture and socio-environmental criteria. 53 certified farms should comply with 108 requirements, including environmental legislation, preservation of sensitive areas, adequate labor conditions, improved soil health, water retention, erosion reduction and efficient input use. (CAT Sorriso)
Brazil’s government granted startup Re.green the country’s first public contract for forest restoration in the Amazon, covering a 145,000-acre area in the Bom Futuro Reserve. The 40-year project will be financed through the sale of carbon credits and is part of an effort to restore degraded areas in protected lands, with participation from a local Karitiana Indigenous community. (Re.green)
Rising gold prices have fueled a new illegal mining rush in the Brazilian Amazon, accelerating deforestation in protected areas and increasing mercury contamination risks. According to a study by Amazon Conservation and Instituto Socioambiental, protected areas in the Xingu region, between the States of Pará and Mato Grosso, have seen the expansion of illegal mining fronts, while the Amazon Mining Watch platform estimates that 223,000 hectares have already been cleared by mining in the Brazilian Amazon since 2018. (Amazon Conservation; Instituto Socioambiental)
Beef production is the leading driver of agriculture-linked deforestation worldwide, accounting for 40% of forest clearing for food production, according to a study by Chalmers University of Technology. Brazil leads the global ranking, with 32% of deforestation linked to agricultural expansion between 2001 and 2022, while soybeans account for 5% of global forest loss associated with agriculture. (Chalmers University of Technology)
The Court of Appeal of England rejected a new appeal filed by the mining company BHP and upheld the ruling holding the company responsible for the collapse of the Fundão dam in Mariana, State of Minas Gerais, considered the largest environmental disaster in Brazil’s history. The tragedy, which occurred in 2015, killed 19 people and released around 40 million cubic meters of toxic tailings into the Doce River, affecting communities and ecosystems in the states of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo. The case will now move forward to the compensation phase for victims. (Court of Appeal of England)
Latin America
Startup Re-Forest Latam, founded in Tucumán, Argentina, in 2023, combines drones, biotechnology and encapsulated native seeds to restore forests at scale. The company says it can reduce the average cost of ecological restoration to about one-fifth of the usual level in Latin America and already operates in Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia, targeting a global market estimated at US$ 1.2 billion by 2030. (Re-Forest Latam)
Primary tropical forest loss fell 36% in 2025 from the 2024 record, to 4.3 million hectares, according to University of Maryland data available on the World Resources Institute’s Global Forest Watch platform. The decline was driven mainly by Brazil, but agricultural expansion remained the main driver of forest loss in countries such as Brazil, Bolivia and Indonesia, while fires worsened by climate change continue to threaten recent gains. (Global Forest Watch; World Resources Institute; University of Maryland)
Colombia’s coffee industry is preparing for the European Union Deforestation Regulation, as about one-quarter of the country’s coffee exports go to the European market. The Coffee Information System managed by the National Federation of Coffee Growers includes georeferenced data on approximately 1.8 million coffee plots and nearly 500,000 farming families, which could put the country ahead of competitors in proving traceability, although smallholders still have limited knowledge of the new requirements. (Fedecafé)
Mars and ofi announced a five-year strategic collaboration to accelerate regenerative and climate-smart agriculture practices in cocoa production in Ecuador, aligned with both companies’ net-zero targets by 2050. The first phase is expected to involve more than 960 farmers across more than 9,000 hectares in El Oro, Esmeraldas, Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí and Santo Domingo, with a transition from full-sun monoculture to multistrata agroforestry systems, low-carbon fertilizers, crop residue management and biochar. (Mars; ofi)
The Italian coffee company Lavazza launched La Reserva de ¡Tierra! Selection, the first professional-focused coffee sourced from farms certified under the Rainforest Alliance Regenerative Agriculture Standard. The product is sourced from Honduras, where more than 70 farms have already achieved certification with technical support, training and guidance on practices related to soil health, biodiversity, climate resilience, water management and farmer livelihoods. The blend will reach international markets in June 2026. (Lavazza; Rainforest Alliance)
Peru is boosting more than 3,900 bio-businesses in the Amazon with over US$ 6.6 million in credit, aimed at sustainable activities such as agroforestry, non-timber products and ecotourism. The initiative, presented at Expo Amazônica 2026, seeks to strengthen the bioeconomy and expand market access. (Ministry of Environment of Peru)
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