Petrobras and the State of Rio de Janeiro on the Route of the Global Energy Transition
Under the title “Petrobras and the State of Rio de Janeiro on the Route of the Global Energy Transition”, Wander Guerra, a PhD candidate at PPGPR, discusses the links between climate change and the energy transition, with an emphasis on the strategies of the state-owned company Petrobras and possible implications for Rio de Janeiro’s economy.
Climate change has dominated global debates in recent years, bringing energy transition to the forefront of the agenda for companies, governments, and institutions. As the Brazilian state that produces the most oil, Rio de Janeiro is at the center of strategies directly affecting the oil industry, particularly under the logic of decarbonization and the imperatives of green capitalism. The effects of the energy transition, aimed at reducing fossil fuel consumption, may vary depending on how the transition process is conducted.
Through a literature review and exploratory research, this article seeks to present potential impacts of the global energy transition on Rio de Janeiro’s economy, focusing on the role of Petróleo Brasileiro S.A., Brazil’s largest state-owned company, which has concentrated its actions and investments in the southeastern region of the country. The study highlights that the energy transition, driven by green capitalism and mainly focused on so-called renewable energies, may have negative impacts on Rio de Janeiro’s society while possibly perpetuating environmental sacrifices associated with the oil industry. At the same time, with its well-established oil infrastructure, Rio de Janeiro has the potential to lead a just energy transition in Brazil, with Petrobras playing a central role in this process.
The article was published in Cadernos do Desenvolvimento Fluminense, in June 2024.
To access the article, click here.
