“Despite climate concerns, Brazil will expand coastal oil drilling”, 9^th December 2019

…Brazil will push to expand oil drilling in its massive "pre-salt" oil and gas area off its coast in spite of growing global concerns about climate change, the country's energy minister told Reuters…

The country's Mines and Energy Minister Bento Albuquerque spoke on the sidelines of a climate summit underway in Madrid where leaders from the United Nations have been urging countries to do the opposite and aggressively cut emissions of climate-altering gases that come largely from fossil fuels, or risk a global catastrophe…

The country - which heavily uses biofuel and gets a major chunk of its power from hydroelectric and other renewable sources and - can do that while still meeting its goal to cut emissions under the Paris Agreement, Albuquerque said. Brazil has space to increase its target, he said.

"Because of its diversity of energy sources, Brazil will surpass its targets with a certain tranquillity and will continue to explore its riches responsibly and sustainably," the minister, an active navy admiral, said in an interview...

Brazil's right-wing government led by President Jair Bolsonaro has firmly prioritized development over conservation since he assumed office…