Ethanol Talks, the high-level event organized by the Brazilian government and biofuel industry, has previously been held in Brazil, Argentina, Guatemala and India. The Costa Rica edition will be on 31 March.
San Jose and São Paulo, 27 March 2023 (IICA–UNICA). International sugar and bioethanol experts, government officials, business leaders, scientists and legislators from Latin America and the Caribbean will analyze the use and importance of bioethanol as a modern, sustainable option for the transport and energy industries, at the seminar Sustainable Mobility: Ethanol Talks Costa Rica, which will be held in this Central American country for the first time.
The in-person seminar will be held on March 31 at the headquarters of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in the Costa Rican capital. It is organized by the Brazilian Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), and by the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry and Bioenergy Association (UNICA) and the Local Alcohol Productive Arrangement (APLA) of Brazil, with the support of IICA.
The event, whose website is available at this link, will be an opportunity for cooperation and dialogue between the biofuel industries of Central America and Brazil on how to increase production and bioethanol use for sustainable transport, considering Brazil’s over 45 years’ experience in this area, including discussions on the economic, social and environmental benefits of bioethanol.
In the case of Costa Rica, the mix of bioethanol in gasoline could be part of the strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in line with the country’s commitments as part of the Paris Agreement. Costa Rica aims to achieve an 11% reduction of its overall CO2 emissions by 2030; furthermore, a mix with 11% bioethanol in gasoline will reduce emissions by around 235,000 tons of CO2 per year.
As well as featuring officials, legislators and scientists from the region, all bioethanol specialists, the seminar will also bring together rural and industrial producers, fuel distributors and retailers to address questions such as public policies, bioethanol use and the motor industry, technological solutions for decarbonization and bioethanol in Central America.
Agustín Torroba, an international biofuel specialist for IICA, said “Ethanol Talks is a key event, given the interest of Costa Rica and many countries in the region in using biofuels in general and bioethanol in particular to decarbonize the transport sector, generate agricultural development and diversify the power grid. It will be very useful to raise awareness, improve skills and provide relevant technical information for policy decision-makers and the general public”.
The transport sector accounts for almost 25 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. In this scenario, bioethanol has emerged as a complementary solution to decarbonize transport, considering the context of each region, due to its potential for sustainable production and low emissions, in comparison with traditional liquid fuels.
The speakers at Ethanol Talks will include Marlon Arraes, General Ethanol Coordinator of the Brazilian Ministry of Mining and Energy; Evandro Gussi, President and CEO of UNICA; Flávio Castellari, Executive Director of APLA; Juan Manuel Quesada Espinoza, Executive President of the Costa Rican Oil Refinery (RECOPE); Ricardo Abreu, UNICA Sustainable Transport Consultant; and Agustín Torroba of IICA.
About IICA
IICA is the specialized agency for agriculture of the Inter-American System, with the mission to encourage, promote and support Member States in their efforts to achieve agricultural development and rural well-being through international technical cooperation of excellence.
About UNICA
The Brazilian Sugarcane Industry and Bioenergy Association (UNICA) was founded in 1997. It is the main representative body of productive units of sugar, bioethanol and other bioenergy products in the south-central region of Brazil. It currently has 120 associated companies, representing 60 percent of the sugar and bioethanol produced in the country. UNICA has headquarters in São Paulo and Brasilia, and offices in the USA and Belgium.
More information:
Institutional Communication Division.
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int
