As momentum builds for COP30, Brazil affirmed its position at the heart of the global climate agenda with the recent Brazilian Climate and Carbon Conference in São Paulo.

The conference brought together leaders from government, the private sector, academia and finance to align strategies and explore practical solutions in light of the upcoming regulation of the Brazilian Emissions Trading System (SBCE) and the opportunities presented by COP30.

Here are NatureCo’s key takeaways from the event:

• COP30: A turning point for tropical biomes. Hosting COP30 in the Amazon isn’t just symbolic, it’s strategic. Brazil aims to use the platform to place nature-based solutions at the center of global climate policy. A major initiative that will be presented at COP30 is the Tropical Forest Forever Fund (TFFF), which aims to raise US $250 billion to reward countries for conserving and restoring tropical forests.
• ARR and forest concessions gain traction. Officials reaffirmed Brazil’s commitment to restore 12 million hectares by 2030 as part of its NDC. Estimates suggest there are over 80 million hectares of degraded land across Brazil that could be eligible for ecological restoration. New policy frameworks are expanding the scope for Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation (ARR) concessions. Updates from states like Tocantins, Pará and São Paulo – alongside federal initiatives – point to a growing role for jurisdictionally supported restoration programs.
• Carbon finance is catching up to the market. The ProFloresta+ program from BNDES was highlighted as a model for scaling reforestation finance. It links loan guarantees to carbon credit offtake agreements to mobilise investment. With R$450 million already committed and an initial goal to restore up to 50,000 hectares, the program sets a new benchmark for public-private partnerships and could serve as a template for replication nationwide.
• MRV and remote sensing innovation. Remote sensing companies and scientists presented new tools for space-based biomass monitoring, which are enhancing the credibility, transparency and scalability of carbon projects. However, panelists noted that a standardised market-wide framework for data quality and comparability is still lacking.
• SBCE and voluntary market interoperability. A proposed national registry and the CRVE (Certificado de Redução Voluntária de Emissões) may allow eligible voluntary credits to be converted into regulated units. Some CRVEs may then be authorised for conversion into ITMOs under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement, enabling international trading toward other countries’ NDCs. This architecture could unlock new liquidity and allow jurisdictional and private projects to coexist provided that clear nesting rules and safeguards are implemented over the next few years.

With COP30 fast approaching, Brazil is focused on developing the regulatory, technical and financial frameworks that will shape the future of its carbon market.