UNICA Takes Brazilian Success With Clean and Renewable Energies to COP-16 and the World Climate Change in Cancun
By Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association unica, PRNEWednesday, November 24, 2010
SAO PAULO, November 26, 2010 - The Brazilian experience spanning nearly four decades with large-scale
production and use of sugarcane ethanol will be presented in a variety of
formats by the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) at the United
Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-16) and the World Climate Summit
(WCS), which happen simultaneously from November 29 to December 10 in Cancun,
Mexico.
"Almost 50% of all the energy utilized in Brazil comes from renewable
sources. That's three times the global average, an achievement that can
certainly be an example for the rest of the world as well as giving Brazil a
leading role in the search for solutions for global warming and climate
change," observed the president of UNICA, Marcos Jank.
During COP-16, UNICA will be at the Brazil Pavillion with support from
the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil). Other
companies and organizations with cutting edge programs to combat climate
change will also be represented. UNICA will conduct a seminar on alternatives
to minimize emissions from transportation in emerging countries on December 6
at the Cacao Room of the COP-16 headquarters, Hotel Moon.
Vanguard
Marcos Jank points out that Brazilian greenhouse gas emissions measured
in 2006 would have been 10% greater without the contributions from the sugar
and ethanol industries. "Over the 35 years of large-scale use of biofuels in
Brazil, more than 600 million tons of CO2 were kept from the atmosphere while
the country saved US$ 240 billion that didn't have to be spent on foreign
oil," he explains.
Ethanol is now moving to a new phase, beyond its use as a motor vehicle
fuel on cars and city buses, to new uses and increased testing in aviation,
power generators, farm implements and machinery as well as resins, fine
chemicals and "green" plastics production, in which ethanol is used instead
of fossil fuels like diesel, with significant reductions in greenhouse gas
emissions.
At its booth in the Brazil Pavillion, UNICA will offer video sessions
with its Virtual Mill, an interactive multimedia tool that covers all
production stages for sugar and ethanol, from the harvest to the distribution
of finished products. Literature on clean and renewable energies will also be
distributed, detailing sustainability programs conducted by the sugarcane
industry.
"Energy obtained from sugarcane can benefit a number of emerging
countries, by bringing social and economic development, energy independence
and emission reductions. Throughout 2010, UNICA hosted over 180 foreign
delegations that brought government officials, academia and investors to
Brazil from several countries interested in learning more about ethanol and
bioelectricity," highlights Luiz Fernando Amaral, UNICA's Environmental
Advisor.
World Climate Summit
The WCS, held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel on December 4 and 5 at the same
time as the COP-16 gathering, will focus on how to connect organizations,
governments, companies and investors. The goal is to disseminate the use of
renewable energy solutions, already available in certain regions of the
world, expanding their use to other countries with similar contexts.
The WCS agenda includes conferences, panels and technical seminars, as
well as meetings with investors and representatives of financial institutions
to facilitate access to resources needed to allow projects to move forward.
Bioelectricity
UNICA will have its own booth at WCS, where it will present innovations
being developed by the Brazilian sugar-energy industry. "We are already
producing electricity from sugarcane bagasse and straw. This is a great
source of clean and renewable energy, available close to major
electricity-consuming centers of the country," explains Jank.
On December 4, UNICA's president will participate in a plenary session on
ways to foment global prosperity based on a sustainable economy. On December
5, Jank will be a featured speaker at a forum on public transportation,
looking at ways to disseminate biofuels and achieve economies of scale.
ABOUT UNICA
The Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) represents the top
producers of sugar and ethanol in the country's South-Central region,
especially the state of Sao Paulo, which accounts for about 50% of the
country's sugarcane harvest and 60% of total ethanol production. UNICA
develops position papers, statistics and specific research in support of
Brazil's sugar, ethanol and bioelectricity sectors. In 2008, Brazil produced
an estimated 565 million metric tons of sugarcane, which yielded 31.3 million
tons of sugar and 25.7 billion liters (6.8 billion gallons) of ethanol.
MORE INFORMATION / UNICA CDN Corporate Communications Rosa Webster - (+5511)-3643-2707 - rosa.webster@cdn.com.br Mariane dos Santos - (+5511)-3643-2730 - mariane.santos@cdn.com.br
Rosa Webster, +5511-3643-2707, rosa.webster at cdn.com.br, or Mariane dos Santos, +5511-3643-2730, mariane.santos at cdn.com.br, both of CDN Corporate Communications, for The Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA)
Tags: Brazil, Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA), England, November 26, Sao paulo