Potássio do Brasil, a subsidiary of Brazil Potash, actively participated in the International Conference on the Amazon and New Economies, held in Belém (PA) from August 30th to September 1st. The conference was dedicated to the promotion of conscious and sustainable development in the Amazon region, values that resonate deeply with Potássio do Brasil. Through the Autazes Potash Project, the company is committed to producing potassium chloride fertilizer sustainably in the municipality of Autazes, located 112 kilometers from Manaus, Amazonas.
As a proud sponsor of the conference, Potássio do Brasil had its representatives engaged in discussions surrounding new economies, bioeconomy, circular economy, strategic minerals, carbon market, solidarity economy, ESG practices, and environmental crime prevention. They joined more than 130 companies and institutions operating in the mining sector, all of whom have committed to incorporating Amazon conservation into their practices.
Ban Ki-moon, the 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), delivered the keynote address during the conference’s opening night. He emphasized the need for collaborative solutions to address contemporary issues, such as climate change and hunger. “In the 21st century, we have 575 million people suffering from extreme poverty. This is shameful. People are dying primarily due to lack of food. For all of us to have good health and participate in the world’s economy, we need access to good food,” stated the diplomatic leader.
According to Adriano Espeschit, President of Potássio do Brasil, the company’s participation and sponsorship of the event signify a commitment to fostering discussions and initiatives aimed at developing the Amazon region comprehensively. Their goal is to strengthen food security in both Brazil and the world while minimizing harm to people and the environment. “Our project is entirely sustainable. We will produce green potash with an 80% lower carbon footprint compared to projects in Canada and Russia, for instance, thanks to Brazil’s energy matrix, which is 84% renewable. Moreover, by producing potash fertilizer, we are firmly dedicated to contributing to the fulfillment of the UN’s second Sustainable Development Goal, which is Zero Hunger,” emphasized Espeschit.
Through the Autazes Potash Project, Potássio do Brasil aims to meet the demands of agribusiness and Brazilian society, harnessing the nation’s full productive potential to produce ‘green potassium.’ This initiative not only fortifies agricultural production and food security in Brazil and the world but also combats hunger while promoting sustainable socio-economic development in Amazonas.
On the conference’s second day, former Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Tony Blair, raised questions about humanity’s delayed response to environmental changes resulting from the current mode of production and consumption on the planet. “The world will continue to grow, and we need to continue lifting people out of poverty sustainably,” Blair emphasized.
During the conference’s closing session, Iván Duque Márquez, former President of Colombia, invited attendees to reflect on new economies for the Amazon. He emphasized the need to address illegal activities such as illegal mining, illegal livestock farming, and cocaine production while not excluding legal economic sectors traditionally associated with the Amazon. “We cannot remove mining and other legal activities, industries, and fossil fuels from the development agenda. We must confront illegalities while preserving legal activities,” highlighted Duque Márquez.
About the Conference
The International Conference on the Amazon and New Economies was organized by the Brazilian Mining Institute (Ibram) and brought together representatives of Amazonian indigenous peoples, civil society, academia, public and private sectors to discuss environmental, economic, and sustainable development issues. The conference aimed to advance and strengthen solutions that reconcile economic development, inequality reduction, and the conservation of forests and socio-biodiversity.
Exposibram 2023
In parallel with the International Conference on the Amazon and New Economies, Potássio do Brasil also participated in Brazil’s largest mining event and one of Latin America’s most significant, the Brazilian Mining Expo & Congress (Exposibram 2023). The company had an exhibition booth, and its president, Adriano Espeschit, took part in the panel discussion on ‘Public Policies for Strategic Minerals in Brazil.’
Alongside Ediney Drummond, CEO of Lundin Mining Corporation; Fabiano Costa, President of AMG Brasil; José Luís Gordon, Director of Productive Development, Innovation, and Foreign Trade at BNDES; Rohitesh Dhawand, President of the ICMM; Ana Cabral-Gardner, Co-founder of Sigma Lithium; and Ronaldo Lasmar, Executive Commercial Manager at Mineração Taboca, President Espeschit emphasized the strategic role of the Autazes Potash Project in ensuring food security for Brazil and the world. He presented essential project statistics and its foundation rooted in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles.
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