Data from a survey on energy transition revealed that 85 percent of Brazilians can notice the effects of climate change in their daily lives, and nearly half (46%) describe them as severe. The study was conducted by Aurora Lab and More in Common and will be released Wednesday (May 27).

The main concerns expressed by the 2,630 participants regarding the effects of climate change were:

• having to cope with a higher cost of living – 53%;
• physical health problems – 45%;
• obstacles to getting to work – 40%;
• mental health issues – 32%;
• loss of income – 17%;
• job loss – 10%.

In the view 67 percent of respondents, the government should be the primary entity responsible for ensuring the protection of workers in this context. Employers were mentioned by seven percent, and self-organized groups, such as those focused on socio-environmental rights, by less than six percent.

The result came as a surprise to the researchers. “This is really concerning data because it removes – or at least does not place – the responsibility on employers. We are going to see more and more extreme weather events, and employers have a key role to play in ensuring workers’ protection during the transition process as well,” Aurora Lab Executive Director Gabriela Vuolo argued.

The survey also shows a high level of awareness (93%) that society’s production and consumption models need to be transformed in order to address the climate crisis.

Sixty-seven percent believe that these changes will benefit the working class by creating new jobs. Only 10 percent disagree with this and believe they will have the opposite effect, leading to job losses.

Social inequalities

The interviews also explored people’s views on the link between the energy transition and the country’s social structure. The majority (45%) believe that the shift to new energy sources will reduce social inequalities, compared to 17 percent who believe they will remain the same and 23 percent who think they will increase.

According to Gabriela Vuolo, some respondents believe that even wages could increase.

Fake news

According to the study, even in an era of widespread fake news, Brazilians still trust what science says. When it comes to climate, universities and scientists are the most credible source in the view of 69 percent of respondents, while social media is the primary source of information for 65 percent.

The interviews were conducted with people aged 16 and older in the capitals of nine Brazilian states from May to September 2025.

The presidents of the 30th and 31st UN Climate Change Conferences (COP) unveiled a preliminary proposal for the Global Implementation Accelerator in Denmark last week.

The initiative, launched in Belém city in November 2025 during COP30 under Brazil’s presidency, prioritizes actions with the greatest potential, capable of scaling up globally and delivering solutions to combat climate change more quickly.

In practice, the idea is to shift the debate from legal texts to the implementation of swift and tangible solutions at the upcoming climate conference, to be jointly hosted by Turkey and Australia in the Turkish city of Antalya this November.

The presentation of this approach, characterized by greater economic pragmatism, took place during the Ministerial Meeting on Climate and Development, traditionally held in the Danish capital, Copenhagen. Representatives from about 40 countries were present, including ministers and negotiators.

The high-level meeting is the last one before the mid-year sessions of the UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany, which serve as preparatory meetings for COP.

Ana Toni, CEO of COP30 and a member of the Brazilian delegation, explained that the Accelerator is a cooperative and voluntary mechanism with the greatest potential to trigger and produce ripple effects.

“The goal is to accelerate solutions – such as technologies, procedures, and methodologies – included in the Solution Acceleration Plans for the various initiatives and objectives of the Action Agenda,” Ana Toni stated.

Roadmaps

The delegation heads also discussed issues such as the roadmaps on fossil fuels and deforestation through 2030, as agreed upon at COP28 in Dubai in 2023.

In total, the COP30 presidency received 444 contributions to the international roadmaps on fossil fuels and deforestation, following a consultation held from February to April.

The president of COP30, Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, asserted that the scientific solutions and new technologies needed to limit global warming to the Paris Agreement’s safest target (1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels) are well known, but the challenge of the climate crisis involves financing and technology transfer that will enable countries to implement these changes in time.

“The COP30 Presidency is working to provide the best available information to ensure that debates on deforestation and fossil fuels are as well-informed as possible. That way, the paths we chart will be viable and help accelerate the fight against climate change,” said Diplomat André Corrêa do Lago.

During the two-day sessions, topics such as the implementation of nationally determined contributions (NDCs), the future of the climate regime, and adaptation to the impacts of climate change were also addressed.

Climate regime

Regarding the “climate regime” – the set of rules, treaties, and international conferences that manage the global climate crisis – Ambassador Liliam Chagas, director of Climate at the Secretariat of Climate, Energy, and Environment of Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, believes that countries are maturing toward more goal-oriented talks at the COPs.

This self-criticism has led these nations to become more organized and to concentrate on making effective progress on issues related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“The regime is undergoing a transition phase – from negotiation and commitments to a phase of implementing what has already been agreed upon,” the Brazilian ambassador noted.

The director stressed that, ten years after the Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015 during COP21, countries continue to uphold and strengthen their commitments to develop policies to combat climate change and national adaptation plans, and to work toward securing global financial resources to fund the transition to a low-carbon economy.