Cattle farming alone is responsible for almost 20% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Brazil. If the rest of the agricultural sector is included, the figure rises to 30.5%. If changes in land use—such as the conversion of forest areas into fields, pastures, and crops, all of which are closely associated with agriculture and livestock—are also included, it accounts for 70% of all Brazilian emissions of these heat-retaining compounds that cause climate change.
The economic activities covered by the National Inventory of GHG Emissions and Removals also include the energy, industrial processes, and waste sectors, which account for 20.5%, 5%, and 4.5%, respectively. The data refers to the year 2022. Economic arguments are common when it comes to the climate emergency, so it is noteworthy that according to 2023 IBGE data, the agricultural sector accounted for 8.1% of Brazil’s GDP; industry, meanwhile, was responsible for 12.8% of the wealth produced in the country.
Surveys like the National Inventory are becoming more accurate: for example, there is a specific emission factor for each type of cattle in each Brazilian region. Exact sciences editor Marcos Pivetta explains how these numbers are calculated, discrepancies between surveys, and possible gaps. To participate in this increasingly urgent discussion, we need to understand where the data come from. A complementary report by Renata Fontanetto describes how the US government’s cuts to climate research funding have had negative effects on many countries, including Brazil, due to its dependence on Earth observation instruments funded by the US.
In 1982, the US created a program to support innovation in small businesses that represented a turning point for public policies aimed at R&D in the private sector. Previously carried out primarily at large companies, the Small Business Innovation Research program (SBIR) helped small companies get involved. In 40 years, the program has invested US$64 billion in 195,000 R&D projects and inspired counterparts in at least 20 other countries, including Brazil. In 1997, FAPESP created the Innovative Research in Small Businesses program (PIPE), which has since funded more than 4,000 projects at 2,000 companies. A study by researchers from UFSCar, Unirio, and UFU sought to evaluate how programs that followed this model in seven countries progressed under different circumstances.
Combining traditional leak detection technology (the listening rod) with AI-powered noise analysis is an innovation conceived by one company benefiting from PIPE. The 2020 Sanitation Law establishes that contracts for sanitation services and infrastructure must contain efficiency targets, including a progressive reduction of water losses, which according to recent estimates, account for almost 40% of all treated water distributed in the country. The demand among utilities companies for technologies and ways of monitoring leaks is motivating the search for innovations in the area. A report on the topic includes an infographic summarizing existing detection methods and new techniques.
On June 4, Brazil, Piauí, and prehistory mourned the loss of Niède Guidon. The archaeologist dedicated her life to studying, appreciating, and preserving rock art sites in Serra da Capivara. Coincidentally, this issue’s Retrospect section is dedicated to the pioneering National Archaeological Research Program, which began 60 years ago, training professionals and changing work methods in the field.
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