Brazil's Biofuel Boom Masks Widespread Deforestation and Land Grabs

Brazil has set its sights on becoming a global leader in biofuels, but critics argue that this push is more about greenwashing than genuinely reducing carbon emissions.

The country's government aims to increase ethanol blending with gasoline from 22% to 27%, with a target of 35% by 2030, and biodiesel blending will also be ramped up to reach 20% by March 2030.

Biofuels currently make up 25% of transportation fuels in Brazil, but the rapid expansion of agricultural feedstocks such as sugarcane, corn, soybean, and palm oil has led to widespread deforestation and land grabs.

Major bioenergy corporations are removing indigenous communities from their ancestral lands, resulting in violence, food insecurity, and ecological destruction.