The United Kingdom, Italy and Brazil share the same urge to preserve the environment – the economy

United kingdomAnd the Italy e Brazil Share some feelings. The first and most obvious is football – the three countries together add up to ten World Cups and a rich history of shared influences.

However, there is another passion, although lesser known, that demonstrates our values: the admiration for nature and the need to preserve it. Some of the greatest portraits of Brazilian natural beauty, for example, were painted by a British artist, Henry ChamberlainAnd by Italian Nicola Antonio Vaccente. His works can be seen at MASP, at Sao Paulo.

But this passion is not limited to meditation. In 2021, a crucial year in the fight against climate change, climate leadership is another common point of our two countries.

We co-chair a conference HIM-HER-IT On Climate Change (COP26), to be held in November, at Glasgow. In October, Italy will host two preparatory events in Milan: Youth for Climate, which will bring together around 400 young people from all over the world, and the previous meeting of the Conference of the Parties, which is the last meeting to prepare for COP26. The international community is counting on the participation and constructive leadership of Brazil, especially after the commitments made at the Presidential Leaders Summit Biden, Last month. We expect that the size of the role and responsibilities, current and future, of a country that has all the potential to be an active and ambitious champion of international climate action.

But until then, we have a lot to do. As chairs of the G7 and G20 summits, which will be held in June, in the UK, and in October, in Italy, we will place climate at the center of the global agenda. We will use our strategic locations to stimulate a resilient economic recovery that creates jobs and includes the most vulnerable.

Even Glasgow, as announced last week by the President-designate of COP 26, Alok Sharma, we will focus our efforts with countries, subnational actors, the private sector and civil society – in Brazil and around the world – on four goals: 1) to encourage global zero emissions commitments; 2) Adapt urgently to protect communities and natural habitats; 3) Mobilize financing and facilitate investment flows; 4) Work collaboratively to expedite and implement realistic procedures.

We know it is not an easy task. If we are to limit the harmful effects of climate change and limit temperature rise to 1.5 ° C, we will need ambitious policies and bold actions. We are excited by the growing commitment of governments and companies to reduce emissions by 2050. Inspiring leadership and political will will be crucial, and we will need everyone to join.

We firmly believe that Brazil has been and will remain an essential part of the solution. We want to continue working to ensure the country has a prominent role, by implementing commitments already announced, including ending illegal deforestation by 2030 and carbon neutrality until mid-century. Investors and the private sector have demonstrated the financial opportunities the country will be able to access when advancing this agenda, including through new forms of public-private partnerships.

COP26 will not be merely a negotiation. As hosts, we want to focus on concrete actions and implement an agreement Paris. We can do it! It is vital to work together in the coming months, and arrive in Glasgow well prepared to make the difference that people in Brazil and around the world expect of us.

After all, we want the football stadiums to remain green for our athletes. And we want other artists to continue to be inspired in nature.

* Respectively, Ambassador of the United Kingdom and Ambassador of Italy to Brazil