COP30 in Brazil: climate justice for whom?

Beyond the risks to their own business, companies need to consider people.

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By Thauane Blanche

I grew up in Itaim Paulista, in the far east of São Paulo. This peripheral region has a confluence of six streams, including Itaim, Tijuco Preto, and Três Pontes. On hot days, the foul smell of the water is so strong that it's difficult to breathe. On very rainy days, the stream overflows and floods the streets. It's impossible not to worry about environmental issues when you are directly affected by the problem.

And I'm not alone. The research "Living in São Paulo: Environment" (2022), conducted by Rede Nossa São Paulo and IPEC, shows that 57% of the population of São Paulo suffers from river pollution, the main problem identified.

According to the ESG study on the Ibovespa, conducted by PwC Brazil in 2023 with 82 companies listed on the Stock Exchange (access here), in 2022, 85% of companies showed concern about climate change. It was the most cited material topic. In the strategic risk matrix of the reports analyzed by the study, climate risks appear most prominently (57%).

The concern of these companies about the negative impact of climate change on their businesses is understandable. Actions to combat or mitigate environmental damage due to regulatory responsibilities are also understandable. But where is the focus on people, especially those on the margins, in this urgent challenge involving companies, public authorities, and other organizations in our society?

The city of São Paulo was built on top of rivers. In all corners of the capital, we can see people living on the banks of streams. Isn't that something to worry about? In May 2024, we saw 471 cities flooded in Rio Grande do Sul, with approximately 150 deaths and over 2 million people directly affected. The poorest people were the most affected.

Climate Justice and Environmental Racism on the Corporate Agenda

I am a Black woman, a journalism student, and I remember, as a child, walking along the riverbank to get to school. This is still the reality for many children who live here. They play in front of the stream, without thinking about the risks, because there is no other perspective on reality.

Scenes like this make me reflect on environmental racism, a term used to define the combination of climate and racial injustices, that is, when bodies are marginalized and thrown into high-risk environments, a reality in most of Brazil's peripheries.

Data from the 2022 Census, conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), shows that Black and Indigenous people are the most affected and vulnerable to climate change. Still based on the 2022 Census, 55.5% of the Brazilian population is non-white, meaning that most of the country is being directly affected.

Some of these people are employees of the same large companies that are concerned about the impacts of climate change.

This brings me back to the question: is it worthwhile to only think about the macro level? There is much to be done by operating at the root of the problem. This is the magic of broadening the perspective; collaborating with those most affected can directly or indirectly benefit the organization itself. It is necessary to look inside the company and discover who the people who make up this place are. Where do they come from?

The practice of effective actions

According to the Inequality Map, Itaim Paulista is among the 10 worst neighborhoods in the city, but I have hope for improvement. I believe that the first step for organizations is to actively listen to those most affected by the problem.

Why not start in the favelas? There are more than 16 million people surviving on the margins of society. Crossing streams, dodging floods, inundations, and dry air to overcome challenges and sell their labor. Many want to make a difference, eager only for opportunities for a more dignified life. Breathing better is one of them.

Finally, I believe that this is the climate justice we so desperately demand: the understanding that we are an extension of nature and, therefore, we must care for it while caring for each other. Treating streams, droughts, planting seeds to expand green areas is not only about caring for communities, but about restoring humanity.

Thauane Blanche, 29 years old, is from Jardim Laura, in Itaim Paulista, São Paulo, a Journalism student at Cruzeiro do Sul University and participated in the Repartir Workshop on Capacity Building and Racial Inclusion in Communication (2024). A Black woman and resident of the far east of São Paulo, she addresses the issue of climate change from the perspective of someone directly affected by the problem.