巴西環境部13日宣布，使用油與燃煤發電的發電公司未來將必須種植樹木，才能夠從政府手中取得營業執照。
發電設施大約排放1400萬噸導致氣候變遷的二氧化碳等溫室氣體，這些設備未來必須補償發電附帶的環境代價才能取得營業執照，其中包括種植上千棵的樹木。這項方案將適用於新發放執照與舊照更新。
環境部長明克(Carlos Minc)表示，新規定是為了履行「巴西國家氣候變遷計畫」(National Climate Change Plan)而必須採行的手段。「必須注意的是，環境部並非為電廠增加新的花費，這項費用一直都存在，只是現在必須要由整個社會來買單」明克說道。
這個方法希望減緩發電對環境的衝擊，在過去環境部門只管理汙染性廢氣，其規範中並不包括此一條件。明克表示，二氧化碳雖非汙染物，但它的確促成全球暖化。
部分配合京都議定書清潔發展機制購買碳權(carbon credit)的電廠，則可在排放量達到特定量時採用新法規；其他沒有配合的工廠則可選擇採用新的制度。
環境部初步估計結果顯示，若一年之中有25%的時間在運作，且擁有100萬瓦/小時產能的發電機，未來必須種植600棵樹。
新措施在未來必須補償部分發電廠的排放，剩下的則以投資乾淨能源來補足，例如投資風力發電廠等。
負責分配巴西國內的電力系統的「國家系統調度中心」(National System Operator)則預見，以熱力發電作為電源供應在未來將可媲美水力電廠生產的電力。
「國家系統調度中心」表示，燃煤與燃油發電機將在乾旱期間被徵招使用以產生更多的電，此時汙染較低的水力發電廠則因乾旱而降低其發電量。
到2017年這段期間內，環境部將啟用82座新的熱電發電廠，估計溫室氣體排放將增加3900萬噸。
環境部估計屆時電力部門將種植300萬棵樹，這代表有一大部分原本被排放到大氣的二氧化碳將被樹木吸收，因此將不會對氣候造成威脅。
除重新造林外，發電廠根據永續發展的原則，將必須管理由他們新種植的森林地區達10年以上。
The Brazilian Environment Ministry announced Monday that power plants using coal and oil for energy generation will have to plant trees to earn their operating licenses from the government.
Responsible for the emission of about 14 million tons of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming, the power utilities will have to offset the environmental cost of electricity generation to get their operating licenses. That includes planting thousands of trees.
The measure will be applied to the concession of new licenses and the renewal of existing licenses.
Environment Minister Carlos Minc said the new requirements are part of the necessary measures for the fulfilment of the goals of Brazil's National Climate Change Plan.
"It must be remembered that the Environment Ministery is not creating a new cost for the plants. This cost has always existed, but it now must be paid by all society," he said.
The mitigation, a measure to diminish the environmental impacts of power generation, has not in the past been part of the requirements of the environmental authorities, which regulated only pollutant gases. Carbon dioxide is not pollutant, said Minc, but it does contribute to the heating of the planet.
Those power plants that already work with the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism by buying carbon credits can adopt the new rule when their emissions reach accountable levels. The others can opt in to the new system.
The ministry's preliminary estimates show that a power plant with capacity to generate 100 MW/h, that operates during 25 percent of the year, will have to plant up to 600 trees.
These measures will have to offset a portion of the power plant's emissions, with the remainder covered by investment in clean energy such as wind power generation.
The National System Operator, responsible for the distribution of energy in the country, foresees the use of thermoelectricity as supplying power that complements that produced by Brazil's hydroelectric plants.
Coal-fired and oil-fired plants will be called upon to produce more power in the periods of drought, when the electricity generated by the less polluting hydroelectric plants diminishes, the System Operator said.
Between now and the year 2017, the Environmenet Minister projects that 82 new thermoelectrial power plants will begin operation, raising greenhouse gas emissions an estimated 39 million tons.
By then, the ministry estimates that the power sector can be responsible for plantation of three million trees,which means that a good part of the carbon dioxide that would otherwise be emitted into the atmosphere will be absorbed by the trees, so it will not endanger the climate.
In addition to reforestation, the power plants will have to manage their newly planted forest areas according to sustainable criteria, caring for them for up to 10 years.
The new rule is published today in the Official Gazette.
