Consumption
Consumption
Do we need to have so much stuff?
The climate crisis is inseparable from our global model of production and consumption. We consume too much. We must consume less and differently: with greater efficiency and durability, by reusing what we already have and recycling more. Leading industries are investing in innovation and the circular economy to deliver more sustainable, longer-lasting products. It is up to us to make conscious choices, to use our purchasing power and our votes to press both industry and government for meaningful regulation.
The capital of the car
Passenger transportation accounts for the majority of Brasília's carbon emissions. The city only trails behind São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in emissions from this activity.
A national contrast
Brazil emits most of its CO2 from deforestation and cattle farming (almost 2 billion tons). But pollution in large cities takes another form: emissions from garbage and sewage from landfills are far more significant. This division reveals the two faces of national inequality: on the one hand, pressure on agricultural frontiers and forests; on the other, urban centers that concentrate consumption and need to process their waste.
Belém e o desafio do transporte
A maior parte das emissões de carbono de Belém vem do transporte — sobretudo de passageiros e de carga. Mas o lixo e o esgoto também têm peso significativo: juntos, representam quase um terço das emissões totais da cidade, que em 2023 somaram mais de 1,5 milhão de toneladas de CO₂ equivalente.
Problem on your plate:
how much CO2 does 1kg of each of these foods release?
This data comes from SEEG, the Climate Observatory's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Estimation System. They take into consideration greenhouse gas emissions (methane and nitrous oxide) converted into carbon dioxide equivalent from the agricultural sector's production phase. For animal products, emissions from enteric fermentation, waste management, and waste used as fertilizer and left in the open (pastures) were also considered. For plant products, emissions from the decomposition of agricultural residues were considered.