Brazil’s Lula heads to Cop31 on first trip since re-election

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva flew to Turkey to attend Cop31 on Monday, marking his first international trip since his surprise re-election two weeks ago.

This year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference will take place in the Turkish city of Antalya from November 9 to 20.

“We are going to show the world how Brazil is setting an example in environmental preservation and energy transition, fundamental pillars of our sustainable development,” Lula said in an Instagram post.

The leftist leader secured a fourth, non-consecutive mandate in an October 25 presidential run-off against Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who had come out on top in the first-round vote.

Lula’s Cop31 delegation includes lawmaker Andre Janones, who masterminded the 81-year-old’s second-round comeback via social media.

Brazil hosted last year’s UN climate conference in the heart of the Amazon.

Despite the symbolism of holding the talks in the world’s largest tropical rainforest, delegations failed to set binding targets or deadlines for phasing out coal, oil and gas.

During that conference, Brasilia had proposed a road map to phase out coal, oil and gas, which it presented last week.

“Countries differ in how fast they can move and in the support they need, but every country gains from immediately planning its transition away from fossil fuels,” the document said.

Lula was invited to make a speech at a meeting of heads of state at Cop31 and hold talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Brazil’s leader has championed cutting deforestation rates but is criticised by environmentalists for lending support to massive oil exploration projects.