Fapesp

FAPESP and the Sustainable Development Goals

News

SDG 13 Climate Action

News

SDG 13 Climate Action

Researchers highlight inconsistencies of Brazilian policy to deal with climate crisis
SDG 13
Researchers highlight inconsistencies of Brazilian policy to deal with climate crisis

In the run-up to the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), experts participating in a webinar hosted by FAPESP showed that the 2020 revision of Brazil’s nationally determined contribution failed to improve targets and allows in practice for a higher level of greenhouse gas emissions.


Marine sediments explain how part of Brazil’s Northeast region became semi-arid
SDG 13
Marine sediments explain how part of Brazil’s Northeast region became semi-arid

The phenomenon is linked to gradual contraction of the tropical rain belt over the last 5,000 years, according to a study conducted at the University of São Paulo. Its findings can help predict the region’s future climate.


Experiments simulate possible impact of climate change on crabs
SDG 13, SDG 14
Experiments simulate possible impact of climate change on crabs

Fewer Atlantic mangrove fiddler crab embryos survived in a warmer, more acid environment mimicking conditions forecast for the end of this century. Given the important ecological role of this invertebrate in mangroves, the researchers warn of a potential cascade effect.


Most cities in São Paulo state have low potential capacity to adapt to climate change
SDG 13
Most cities in São Paulo state have low potential capacity to adapt to climate change

Cities located in metropolitan areas of this Brazilian state score better according to an index that measures the existence of public policies designed to adjust critical sectors to the impacts of climate change.


Increase in deforestation of the Amazon threatens Brazil’s ability to achieve its climate goals
SDG 13
Increase in deforestation of the Amazon threatens Brazil’s ability to achieve its climate goals

Illegal logging to clear land for cattle grazing has fueled growth in Brazil’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to participants in a webinar on the prospects for COP26 hosted by FAPESP.


Research identifies climate-change refugia in dry-forest region
SDG 13
Research identifies climate-change refugia in dry-forest region

The study was conducted in a Brazilian national park and was based on analysis of tree rings in the species Amburana cearensis, as well as satellite images.


Researchers identify the causes of the extreme drought that affected the Pantanal
SDG 13
Researchers identify the causes of the extreme drought that affected the Pantanal

The study shows that the 2019-20 drought resulted from a natural meteorological phenomenon similar to the one that caused the 2014-16 critical water shortage in São Paulo state, Southeast Brazil.


Forest fires drive expansion of savannas in the heart of the Amazon
SDG 13
Forest fires drive expansion of savannas in the heart of the Amazon

Researchers analyzed the effects of wildfires on plant cover and soil quality in the last 40 years. The findings of the study show that the forest is highly vulnerable even in well-conserved areas far from the ‘deforestation arc’.


Mapping of butterfly species distribution in Atlantic Rainforest areas identifies conservation priorities
SDG 13, SDG 15
Mapping of butterfly species distribution in Atlantic Rainforest areas identifies conservation priorities

Butterflies are considered a key biological indicator of trends in the biome. The study quantified the contributions of landscape and climate variables to current species distribution patterns.


Brazil’s biodiversity law needs to be adapted to the Nagoya Protocol
SDG 2, SDG 10, SDG 12, SDG 13, SDG 17
Brazil’s biodiversity law needs to be adapted to the Nagoya Protocol

The law disciplines Brazil’s actions as a provider but not as a user of genetic resources from other countries, researcher Bráulio Dias noted during an online seminar held by FAPESP.


Airborne laser scanning of gaps in Amazon rainforest helps scientists explain tree mortality
SDG 13
Airborne laser scanning of gaps in Amazon rainforest helps scientists explain tree mortality

The researchers concluded that water stress, soil fertility and human-induced forest degradation cause gaps in the world’s largest tropical forest.


Expanding the use of waste to generate bioenergy can neutralize greenhouse gas emissions in São Paulo
SDG 7, SDG 9, SDG 13
Expanding the use of waste to generate bioenergy can neutralize greenhouse gas emissions in São Paulo

Agricultural residues already produce 25% of the electricity used by households in the state. The proportion could jump to 70%, according to researchers who took part in an online seminar on the topic.


Startup creates transgenic sugarcane with enhanced pest resistance
SDG 7, SDG 13
Startup creates transgenic sugarcane with enhanced pest resistance

With FAPESP’s support, PangeiaBiotech develops genetically modified varieties of sugarcane that are protected against attacking insects and glyphosate-tolerant.


Over 80% of Atlantic Rainforest remnants have been impacted by human activity
SDG 13, SDG 15
Over 80% of Atlantic Rainforest remnants have been impacted by human activity

Researchers at the University of São Paulo estimated biodiversity and biomass losses in the biome using data from 1,819 forest inventories. In terms of carbon storage, the losses correspond to the destruction of 70,000 km² of forest, representing some USD 2.6 billion in carbon credits.


Small insect communities respond less predictably to environmental change
SDG 13
Small insect communities respond less predictably to environmental change

Researchers who studied riverine insect communities in the Atlantic Rainforest and Finland’s boreal forests discovered that random events are more frequent in Brazil.


Drought favors plant-pathogenic fungi in pasturelands and release of carbon dioxide from the soil
SDG 2, SDG 13
Drought favors plant-pathogenic fungi in pasturelands and release of carbon dioxide from the soil

Researchers at the University of São Paulo conducted field experiments to estimate the impact of drought and rising temperatures on soil quality and plant health.


International Energy Agency will assess Brazil’s policies to promote biofuels
SDG 7, SDG 12, SDG 13
International Energy Agency will assess Brazil’s policies to promote biofuels

The IEA aims to help countries move the bioenergy agenda forward by identifying bottlenecks, recommending solutions and sharing best practices. The initiative was presented during a conference organized by BIOEN, FAPESP’s bioenergy research program.


Large rural properties account for 54% of the environmental deficit in the state of São Paulo
SDG 2, SDG 13
Large rural properties account for 54% of the environmental deficit in the state of São Paulo

The estimate comes from a research project supported by FAPESP to produce scientific input for implementation of Brazil’s new forest code in the state.


Tree lifespan decline in forests could neutralize part of rise in net carbon uptake
SDG 13
Tree lifespan decline in forests could neutralize part of rise in net carbon uptake

Study by Brazilian researchers reported in Nature Communications shows that trees are growing faster in forests worldwide, including the Amazon, but their lives are getting shorter.


Young Brazilians are increasingly keen on conservation- and biodiversity-related topics, study shows
SDG 4, SDG 13
Young Brazilians are increasingly keen on conservation- and biodiversity-related topics, study shows

An article in Science Advances shows high school students are steadily becoming more sensitive to environmental and scientific ideas. However, interest is uneven in regional terms. It is most intense in the North, less so in the Southeast.


Study confirms contribution of bioenergy to climate change mitigation
SDG 7, SDG 13
Study confirms contribution of bioenergy to climate change mitigation

A cross-border team of researchers refute arguments that carbon debt, opportunity cost and indirect land-use change prevent greenhouse gas mitigation by biofuels.


Production of biofuels for transportation will fall for first time in two decades
SDG 7, SDG 13
Production of biofuels for transportation will fall for first time in two decades

Incentives to drive a rapid recovery by the sector, one of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, will contribute to a resumption of world economic growth, save or create millions of jobs, and contain global emissions of carbon dioxide, experts say.


Regenerated forests offset 12% of carbon emissions due to deforestation in Brazilian Amazon in 33 years
SDG 13
Regenerated forests offset 12% of carbon emissions due to deforestation in Brazilian Amazon in 33 years

A study quantified the size and age of the forests that grow naturally in degraded and abandoned areas, creating 131 benchmark maps for Brazil. The Amazon has the most restored forests and the Atlantic Rainforest biome has the oldest.


Study shows impact of climate change on Neotropical freshwater ecosystems
SDG 13
Study shows impact of climate change on Neotropical freshwater ecosystems

Researchers from six countries in the Americas explored bromeliad microcosms, showing how drought and flood affect the functioning of aquatic ecosystems, especially at the bottom of the food chain.


Southern hemisphere could see up to 30% less rain at end of the century if Earth’s temperature rises 3 °C
SDG 13
Southern hemisphere could see up to 30% less rain at end of the century if Earth’s temperature rises 3 °C

Analysis published in Scientific Reports is based on climate models for the mid-Pliocene period, which occurred 3 million years ago and shared characteristics with present-day warming.


News about research projects funded by FAPESP and articulated with the SDGs: