WHEN parts of Brazil’s agribusiness sector resisted attending COP30—the United Nations climate summit set for November in the Amazon city of Belém—Embrapa (the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation), a federal entity, offered a solution: the Agrizone, a dedicated space funded by millions in sponsorship from major corporations and trade groups.
During the eleven days of the conference in Brazil’s Pará state, Agrizone will be active less than two kilometers from the official UN pavilion. In addition to an exhibition fair, it will host climate debate forums, serve as a business hub, and act as a temporary headquarters for the Ministry of Agriculture, where Minister Carlos Fávaro will work.
“The agricultural sector was highly resistant, unsure whether COP would offer an opportunity or criticism,” explains Ana Euler, Embrapa’s executive director of innovation and business. Data from Seeg—the System for Estimating Emissions and Removals of Greenhouse Gases, maintained by the Climate Observatory—shows agriculture is the leading driver of deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions in Brazil.
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The Agrizone is part of a deliberate strategy by industry to challenge the narrative —and the blame—on the climate crisis. “This is the time to be proactive, because if we aren’t, the official line, along with government agencies, will take over and shape the COP discussion,” Senator Zequinha Marinho (PL-PA) said at a Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (CNA) event on Sept. 24.
The CNA is the Agrizone’s “master” sponsor, providing US$460,000 (R$2.5 million). Nestlé and Bayer are among its “diamond” backers, each contributing US$184,000 (R$1 million) Their funding supports everything from company-led events to the reservation of exclusive meeting rooms.
In a recent Folha de S. Paulo article, the CNA called the Agrizone a showcase for t