Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) stated on Tuesday (17) that Brazil will not be a 'predatory racing track' for critical minerals. The statement was made during the expanded meeting of the G7, a group of seven major world economies, with the participation of invited countries. On the occasion, the PT leader also gave an indirect message to US President Donald Trump (R), saying that partnerships on the issue should not be based on 'geopolitical disputes'. Trump was not present at the meeting as he had left early on Monday (16), but his Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, was there. The United States has used its interest in critical minerals in negotiations and threats to countries. Trump has been pressing Ukraine to sign an agreement allowing the exploration of rare earths. His recent interest in gaining control of Greenland also stems from the country's mineral resources, and the exploration of minerals has entered the negotiating table of the tariff imposed by the US president on the world. The G7 is composed of Canada, which is hosting the group's meeting this year, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan. The European Union is also part of the group. Brazil was one of the select non-member countries invited to participate in the expanded meeting of the block, which also includes South Africa, Australia, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, India, and Mexico. Speaking to the group, which includes some of the world's richest countries, Lula criticized the need for a collective effort to combat climate change and criticized the global delay in diversifying the energy matrix. The PT leader made a reference to the role of the G7, which was born in response to the 1970s oil crises, and emphasized the urgency of a new approach to the dependence on fossil fuels. Lula highlighted Brazil's advances in the clean energy sector, noting that 90% of the country's electricity matrix is composed of renewable sources and said it is 'impossible to discuss energy transition without mentioning Brazil'; The country has some of the world's largest reserves of niobium, nickel, graphite, rare earths, manganese, and bauxite. The president also praised investments in new technologies, such as green hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuels, and warned that the expansion of solar and wind energy is directly linked to access to strategic minerals. The environmental agenda is one of Lula's priorities, as Brazil will host the COP30 in November. In this position, the president stated that Brazil will not allow mineral exploration to threaten biomes such as the Amazon or marine ecosystems. 'We will not be a predatory racing track', he declared, citing the position taken by Brazil at the Ocean Summit held in Nice last week. The speech echoes the stance taken by Brazil at the G20 and BRICS. The president defended the participation of these nations in all stages of the supply chains of strategic minerals, including processing, which has historically been concentrated in rich countries. 'Partnerships should be based on mutual benefits, not geopolitical disputes', he said. The president criticized the current scenario of funding scarcity and recalled that promises such as the $100 billion annual agreements made at COP15 in 2009 were never fulfilled. According to him, rich countries reduced their Official Development Assistance by 7.1% in 2024, which, combined with deliberate setbacks, undermines the progress of inclusive energy transition. Finally, Lula reaffirmed Brazil's commitment to ambitious climate goals, promising to reduce emissions by 59% to 67% by 2035 across all sectors and gases. He called on world leaders to attend the COP30 in Belém, saying that the event will be a test to measure the real commitment to the planet's future.
https://jornaldebrasilia.com.br/noticias/politica-e-poder/brasil-nao-vai-ser-palco-de-corrida-predatoria-por-minerais-criticos-diz-lula-no-g7/