Topic: 2025 – Impact of Climate Change on Air Quality
Country: Brazil
Delegate Name: Ruby Walker
Brazil faces extreme climate risks, specifically in regards to poor air quality. It is estimated that more than 50,000 people die in Brazil annually due to air pollution. The poor air quality is mostly attributed to extreme seasonal fires in the Amazon, as well as poor farming practices and lack of access to clean cooking materials. However, efforts are being made to amend this. Brazil approaches the climate tradeoffs between adaptation and mitigation through its National Climate Change Plan, with the goal of reducing emissions and adjusting to severe climate impacts. Brazil’s government is also offering monetary incentives to encourage the protection of their forests and natural resources through initiatives such as the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), with the goal of reducing the wildfires that contribute to air pollution. Brazil also recently approved the National Air Quality Management System (MonitoAr) in 2024, with the goal of monitoring air pollution and enabling immediate response to air quality issues.
The committee could address air quality issues caused by farming practices or the lack of access to clean cooking materials by promoting sustainable agriculture in these countries, as well as facilitating access to clean cooking technologies such as electricity, LPG, and biogas for countries that need them. By doing this, the committee can shift the focus away from harmful biomass fuels used when cooking, and decrease the damage caused by poor farming practices such as the use of fertilizers that can hurt the environment. Some alternative solutions for farming practices that won’t contribute to detrimental air quality include conservation tillage, which reduces the amount of particulate matter released into the air, and the usage of compost to replace harmful synthetic fertilizers. By promoting these farming methods in Brazil, the committee would have the ability to reduce poor air quality and facilitate a more sustainable culture.
In the country of Brazil, those living in the Amazon and Pantanal regions are those most harmed by deteriorating air quality due to climate change. This is because these areas experience a large amount of wildfires caused by droughts and higher temperatures, problems that are intensified by climate change. International actors can help fix these problems by encouraging Brazil to adhere to global air quality standards, such as the WHO Global Air Quality Guideline, in order to reduce Brazil’s air pollution output. International actors can also fund relief programs for those in need located in these vulnerable areas, and support the planting of new trees in areas that have been devastated by wildfires in order to promote cleaner air and a reduction of air pollution nationally. Planting new trees can also reduce the risk of wildfires in these areas, which are the main contributing factors to the detrimental air quality found in these regions.
We all share the same Earth, and it is important to remember that it is all of our responsibility to protect and preserve its beauty and resources. Brazil is not considered a wealthy country, but it is still taking efforts to reduce its emissions and attempt to amend their previous errors when it comes to taking sustainable practices into account when doing things like mining resources or farming. If wealthy nations have the resources to support the environment and make strides for a greener future, they must share that responsibility and take those opportunities to make the Earth a more sustainable place. We only have one Earth, and it is our job, not just individually but on an international scale, to protect our planet and pave the way for a brighter and healthier future for every global citizen.
Works cited:
UNEP. “Regulating Air Quality: The First Global Assessment of Air Pollution Legislation.” UNEP – UN Environment Programme, 31 Aug. 2021, www.unep.org/resources/report/regulating-air-quality-first-global-assessment-air-pollution-legislation.
UNEP. “Emissions Gap Report 2024.” UNEP – UN Environment Programme, 24 Oct. 2024, www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2024.
“Climate & Clean Air Coalition.” Climate & Clean Air Coalition, 2020, www.ccacoalition.org/.
Buralli, Rafael Junqueira, and Patrick Connerton. “Air Pollution, Health and Regulations in Brazil: Are We Progressing?” Cadernos de Saúde Pública, vol. 41, no. 3, 2025, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11996184/, https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-311xen172924.
Rafael, Fernando, and Silva Júnior. “2030 Agenda: Discussion on Brazilian Priorities Facing Air Pollution and Climate Change Challenges.” 2030 Agenda: Discussion on Brazilian Priorities Facing Air Pollution and Climate Change Challenges, vol. 30, no. 3, 9 Dec. 2022, pp. 8376–8390, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9734578/, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-24601-5.
