Amid ongoing global debates on the increasingly urgent consequences of climate change, Brazil is well-positioned to lead constructive energy transition initiatives.
The country currently ranks among the world’s largest producers of biodiesel and ethanol fuel and has the potential to emerge as the leading producer of green hydrogen. With its vast mineral reserves, Brazil also plays a pivotal role in supplying the exponential surge in global demand for strategic minerals within this transition process.
Mattos Filho launched its Energy Transition practice in 2023 in response to these developments, a pioneering initiative among full-service law firms in the country.
Embracing a multidisciplinary approach, the practice assists companies from energy-intensive sectors that seek to decarbonize, along with investors, financiers, and service providers. In particular, it focuses on fostering the development of new forms of energy and associated technologies.
More than ever, specialized legal advice is essential. Though Brazil still grapples with certain technological and regulatory obstacles, it made significant progress in advancing a more sustainable agenda in 2023, particularly in regard to legislative bills for establishing a regulated carbon market. Such an initiative represents a crucial step in identifying clearer pathways for the business sector to tackle climate change and has the potential to unlock new opportunities for companies.
“We’ve never seen so many bills focused on energy topics in Brazil’s Congress at the same time, simultaneously addressing topics such as hydrogen, carbon capture, and carbon credits, as well as financial and tax incentives. Part of our role is to track these legislative developments, understand our clients’ needs and provide organized information that they can use to take action. Our collaborative model enables us to assign the best professionals and ensure excellence in every demand”
“We are navigating an environmental and climate crisis that imposes two sets of challenges and risks: physical challenges, where companies face the impacts of the natural phenomena; and the transition risks, which involve the evolution of the regulatory environment, market trends, technology development, among others. Our Energy Transition practice assists companies in identifying these challenges and devising strategies to mitigate impacts, while securing financing for the transformations to take place. We assist our clients to navigate this journey mitigating the impacts and maximizing the opportunities that may arise”
As we support companies with facing the climate emergency, we have been stepping up our environmental commitments as we head down the path toward sustainable development. Each year since 2019, we have prepared a comprehensive greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory (covering scopes 1, 2, and 3) to identify our primary sources of emissions and opportunities to reduce them.
Prepared in accordance with the GHG Protocol, our GHG inventory is used to map out necessary measures for reducing emissions – for example, by acquiring Renewable Energy Certificates (I-REC) for scope 2 emissions, we are able to prove our use of renewable energy.
Emissions that cannot be reduced are offset using carbon credits from projects approved under the Compromisso com o Clima (‘Commitment to Climate’) program, which facilitates its supporters’ carbon offsetting efforts.
Mattos Filho is currently working with a specialist consultancy to develop the firm’s long-term decarbonization plan.
Moreover, we continue to strengthen strategic alliances with various institutions to promote sustainable development.
Chambers Brazil Awards
Environment & Sustainability: Outstanding Firm
