March 2009

German Environment Ministry Uses ECOGERMA in Sao Paolo to Nurture Contacts for CDM Project Portfolio in Brazil

Upwards of 140 German and Brazilian companies attended ECOGERMA, a four-day fair which attracted some 35,000 visitors and showcased the full range of modern environment technology. With backing from the German government, the fair was organised by the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Sao Paulo. Matthias Machnig, State Secretary at the German Environment Ministry, and Izabella Texeira, Brazil’s State Secretary for the Environment, jointly opened an environmental congress which ran in conjunction with the fair.

The congress programme included a symposium organised by the German Environment Ministry (BMU) on the current and future market for CDM projects in Brazil, opportunities for German and Brazilian project partners under Germany’s CDM Initiative and programmatic CDM.

With approximately 500 participants (including 384 advance registrations), the BMU seminar on the CDM was particularly well received on the Brazilian side and gave rise to numerous new contacts which will be useful in expanding the German Environment Ministry’s CDM network and its project portfolio.

An interesting insight into Brazil’s carbon market was given by Mauro Meirelles from the DNA responsible for approving CDM projects and by Flavio Gazani, President of the Brazilian Association of Carbon Market Companies (ABEMC).

In her presentation, Julia Rüsch of the German Environment Ministry described the EU policy requirements for CDM use beyond 2012 and the expected impact on demand for carbon credits in Europe.

Appointed by the German Environment Ministry, GTZ country expert Rainer Schröer gave a talk on the opportunities provided by Germany’s CDM Initiative, the project portfolio and the CDM country report.

Two programmatic approaches and an already validated project were presented as programmes of activities involving biogas and energy efficiency in buildings.

At the fair proper, the German Environment Ministry’s exhibition stand provided a platform for talks and new contacts between Brazilian project developers and project owners and interested companies from Germany. These will serve in expanding the CDM network and enhancing the project portfolio.

Presentations:

• Mauro Meirelles de O. Santos (Brazilian Ministry for Science and Technology): Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol - Opportunities and Perspectives in Brazil

• Julia Rüsch (BMU): CDM: Status quo and perspective Post 2012

• Inwent: CDM for Public Administrations –PoA for buildings

• Flavio Gazani (President ABEMC –Brazilian Association of Carbon Markets Companies): The Brazilian Carbon Market: Current position, opportunities and potential sectors.
  

• Rainer Schröer (GTZ): CDM/JI Initiative Brazil
  

• Dr. Konrad Bauer (dena): Development of a Masterplan Biogas for Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, including CDM
  

• David Rusnok (KfW Carbon Fund): Experience of KfW with pCDM
  
• Pauline Bellaver (Sadina): Experience of the Instituto Sadia in Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Programme of Activities (PoA)

CDM-Initiative of the Federal Environment Ministry: 100 Projects need Partner