As I write this, my Brazilian and American colleagues from government and private sector are working around the clock to ensure that President Dilma Rousseff’s trip to Washington D.C. on this upcoming Monday is a great success. Success for Brazil and success for the U.S. And because this is the President’s first trip to the U.S. in her current post it makes it all the more important. I am particularly glad that this meeting takes place at a time when the ethanol import tariff is an issue of the past. So, we can strike that item off the agenda once and for all.
Those who follow us closely will know that as of the end of 2011 Brazil and the U.S. have zeroed their import tariffs on ethanol, creating a truly free and impressively large market for sugarcane derived biofuel. We and many others see this as a big milestone in time. If you add the Strategic Energy Dialogue to this you’ve got continued political commitment on the U.S. part. And if you add President Dilma’s and President Obama’s announcement of the expansion of the MoU on biofuels to include cooperation in aviation in March last year, you’ve got nothing short of a new era in energy cooperation between our two great nations.
We’ve passed some major hurdles, that’s for sure. We should now focus on finding ways to help create a global market for ethanol. This is my hope for the meeting next week. I strongly believe our governments are moving in the right direction on the MoU and on the Strategic Energy Dialogue. But I also believe we’d have more and faster impact if the private sectors in both countries are actively engaged in these processes. We’re hopeful that our government will call on us. Our capacity to bring new ideas to the table and our desire to innovate and invest can help make this political cooperation a reality for businesses and for consumers.
We all recognize that finding renewable, affordable and sustainable solutions to the world’s energy challenges requires a great deal of commitment and a good deal of courage. When Brazil and the U.S. eliminated their import tariffs they sent a clear signal to the global community. But both nation’s commitment and dedication need to be met with open minds and open arms if we want real, positive change for the environment. Come end of day Monday, we might know what energy deliverables will be announced and what new challenges will be put before us. I am excited to see what the results will be.
Brazil and the U.S. have shown what’s possible when policy is right, when markets are open and when trade and innovation are encouraged. But the challenges we face are complex and they require everyone’s genuine commitment that goes beyond what’s said in policy papers. We need to get things done! The goal here is to move the world away from near complete dependence on fossil fuels. When the ambition is so high, you can safely assume that the gains will be too.
Leticia Phillips is UNICA’s Representative for North America. Ms. Phillips is an expert on Brazil-US relations and leads the Brazilian sugarcane industry’s advocacy efforts before the main stakeholders in the region, including the US Congress, Federal agencies, State legislators and business and civil society.