revolve magazine: brazil report

7/28/2019 Revolve Magazine: Brazil Report

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Editorial| 3

Bem-vindo(a)Brazil may have admitted that its

growth ell rom around 4% to just

2.7% in 2011 (TIME, April 23,

2012), but the largest country in

South America is still one o the

most vibrant economies and lively

societies in the world. From sambadancing to investing in energy proj-

ects, Brazil is on the move.

The challenge or such an emer-

ging economy is unique: 60% o

the Amazon rainorest lies within

Brazil this is the largest carbon

sinkhole in the world essentially

breathing in carbon dioxide andexhaling oxygen. Brazil is meant

to develop economically while pre-

serving the environment.

Other major emerging countries

like China and India also see a

necessity in developing sustain-

ably, but they are not asked by

industrialized countries to address

deorestation so that North America

and Europe can continue producing

and consuming. Sustainability or

all remains the key.

As the most biodiverse country in

the world, Brazil is making eorts

towards greater sustainability. Nearly

90% o Brazils electricity supply

comes rom renewables; 75% odomestic electric supply comes

rom hydropower mainly rom the

Itaipu dam in southern Brazil.

While renewables are preer-

able to ossil uels they also carry

contradictions. The proposed Belo

Monte dam in northern Brazil

would become the third largest in

the world, but construction alone

would clear over 550 m2 o rain-

orest and would ood 400 km2 o

surrounding land.

The carbon emissions rom such

mega-projects are not negligible.

As with all such projects, the ques-

tion is whether or not there is along-term return or citizens in the

orm o reduced energy costs and

or the environment in increased

sustainability. Its not entirely clear.

Brazil is making headway in other

felds o renewables, including vari-

ous oshore wind arm projects that

could have great potential to eed-ing the energy demand o grow-

ing urban centers that are located

mostly along the Atlantic coast.

The real caveat or Brazil will

be how to deal with its booming

sugar-based biouel industry. The

rampant cultivation o sugarcane

plantations has a domino eect on

cattle-ranching and other agricul-ture that oten leads to deoresta-

tion as they expand. Not to mention

the timber industry.

All these issues in a nutshell help

explain the position taken by Brazil

in international climate talks that

were redirected by U.S. President

Obama at the 2009 CoP15, in

Denmark, to address deorestation.

Brazil has reduced deorestation by

75% over the last decade now

the U.S. should commit.

These topics will be present at this

years UN Conerence on Sustain-

able Development, Rio+20, com-

memorating the landmark EarthSummit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992,

but nothing will be resolved. This

event is more about raising aware-

ness and encouraging the spread

o sustainability.

This supplement oers an overview

o the main challenges conronting

Brazil in its transition to energyefciency, while eaturing seven

artists rom So Paulo prior to this

years biennale and highlighting

how in ashion sustainability can

also be cool.

Stuart Reigeluth

Founding Editor


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Zebu cattle. Source: Shutterstock


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ContEnts| 5

Coordinator

Stuart Reigeluth

assistant editors

Jenna DarlerMartin Ross

Contributors

Rejane Cintro

Mark Ekstrom

Lubomir Mitev

Anouk Pappers

Martin Ross

Maarten Schfer

Luis Antonio Bittar Venturi

illustrator

InfoGraphics Oldemar

Filipa Rosa

GraphiC desiGner

Filipa Rosa

Contents

Bem-vindo(a)| 03

Booming Biofuel Industry |06All about the biggest business in Brazil and the domino effect on

cattle-herding, agriculture, and deforestation.

Free Trade vs. Sustainability ? |12The World Trade Organization should apply

better standards to free trade.

Going Beyond Biofuels | 13Weaning Brazil off of biofuels is an

imperative for sustainability.

Great Energy Expectations |16Over 80% of Brazils energy already comes from renewables with

more in the pipelines but bigger is not always better.

Map: Natural Resources & Energy Projects |18

Global Amazon Politics |22Brazils unique position in balancing economic

growth with environmental protection revolves

largely around the Amazon.

Sponges and the Source of Life |26Snapshots of the oldest metazoan group still existing on

Earth aquatic animal species off the coasts of Brazil.

7 So Paulo Artists | 30Curated by Rejane Cintro, check out

the vibrant works of seven Brazilian artists.

Sustainability is Cool! | 32

A fashion trend gaining momentum

for its ecological awareness.


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6 | BiofuEls

Booming

BiouelsThe Brazilian biouel business is booming

with increasing demand domestically and

internationally, but the repercussions oirrigation, agriculture, cattle herding on

incremental deorestation are tremendous

or global climate change. A more

sustainable approach is needed, writes

Martin Ross.

Brazilian bio-ethanol production

began in the 1930s. Made rom

processed and distilled sugar, bio-

ethanol is now one o the leading

products in the thriving energysector. Brazil was hit badly by the

global oil crisis in the 1970s when

it was importing 80% o its oil. To

reduce this dependence, national

bio-ethanol production grew

immensely. The expansion program

aimed to reduce pollution, create

new jobs, decrease rural poverty

and promote industry growth. Amajority o Brazils cars are now

ex-uel vehicles, which run on

petrol, ethanol or a mixture o both.

Brazil was overtaken by the United

States as the largest biouel producer,but remains the largest exporter in

the world. Demand or biouels in the

northern hemisphere derives rom

its commitment to the 1997 Kyoto

Protocol, which set reduction targets

or greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions

in the context o climate change.

To meet domestic and international

demand, the Brazilian biouel indus-try needs to become sustainable.

GeeeG EBiouels generated rom sugarcane

have a dierent carbon balance than

those produced rom palm oil orcorn. As a orm o renewable energy,

biouels are carbon neutral or car-

bon negative. Carbon neutrality is

when the carbon released during the

production, distillery, and distribu-

tion processes is absorbed by new

plant growth, creating a green uel.

To calculate the carbon ootprint

o biouels, the Lie Cycle Analysis( LCA ) technique is used. Using this

method, Brazilian bio-ethanol has

advantages in terms o CO2

reduc-

tion and energy balances.

The United Nations Environment

Program (UNEP) report Towards

Sustainable Production and Use

of Resources: Assessing Biofuelsstates that compared to petrol Bra-

zilian sugarcane ethanol reduces

GHG emissions by 70-100%. O

all biouels, Brazils sugarcane

ethanol oers the most avorable

GHG balance; providing a potential

solution to ulfll the industrialized

countries commitments within the

United Nations Framework Conven-tion on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Despite some advantages, these

biouels cannot be called carbon

neutral since sugarcane produc-

tion, particularly ertilizing, releases

potent GHGs, namely nitrous oxide

( NO2) and methane ( CH

4). More-

over, sugarcane plantations have

led directly and indirectly to mas-sive deorestation, which aects

Writer: Martin Ross

Martin Ross is Assistant Editor at Revolve.


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ChaptEr namE| 7

However, sugarcane expansion

does have a severe indirecteect

on deorestation, oten reerred

to as land-use change ( LUC ),

because o the destruction o other

large eco-systems outside the

Amazon area, such as the Cerrado

region. Whilst little o the Amazon

the ability to convert greenhouse

gases back into oxygen.

Deorestation is Brazils most

pressing environmental issue.

The Amazon rainorest is a majorstorehouse or carbon. When this

carbon sink-hole is destroyed by

logging or burning or crop-feld

expansion, CO2

is released. Brazil

ranks ourth in the world or carbon

emissions, contributing around 3%

o global GHG emissions. Deores-

tation contributes to 75% o Brazils

CO2 emissions mainly rom theAmazon region, which accounts or

47% o Brazils total area. 20% o all

carbon emissions around the world

result rom deorestation.

There is no direct relation between

the expansion o the sugarcane

production and the Amazon deor-

estation. UNICA (Unio da Indstria

de Cana-de-Acar Sugarcane

Industry Association ) advocates that

90% o sugarcane production or

ethanol is harvested in south-cen-

tral and north-eastern Brazil, more

than 2,000 kilometers away romthe Amazon orest. Only around

0.2% o Brazils total production is

situated in the Amazon as the region

does not oer avorable conditions

or sugarcane production.

rainorest will suer directly rom

biouel production, it will be indi-

rectlyaected by the displacement

o cattle ranching and agriculture.

According to the Intergovernmen-tal Panel on Climate Change, LUC

may have an impact on carbon

sinks-holes or GHGs, or other

properties o the climate system.

Cattle ranching is the main cause

o deorestation, particularly in

the Cerrado region. Known as the

Father o Water, this biome lies

between the Amazon orest, theAtlantic rainorest, the Pantanal

and the Caatinga.

The Cerrado is the worlds most

biodiverse savannah with two-to-

three times as much annual deor-

estation as in the Amazon. Due to

a high abundance o water, its at

lands and avorable topography,

l-ue

Cge

Recently burnt area east o the road BR 163, near Tau Indian land. Source: Greenpeace / Daniel Beltr


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8 | BiofuEls

We p

the Brazilian government chose

this region as the main expansion

area or sugarcane plantations;

now two-thirds o the Cerrado has

been degraded.

Land-use change is also aected

indirectly by the close relationship

between ethanol production in theUnited States and deorestation

around the world. Irrevocably, more

land will be converted elsewhere

to replace the growing o ood or

animal eed with the production o

more ethanol. As the U.S. moves

towards producing more ethanol

rom corn, other crops such as

soybean and wheat are declining

and their prices are increasing.

When U.S. agricultural exports

decline, other crop-export coun-

tries like Brazil are encouraged to

fll the global demand gap. North

American armers are selling one

fth o their corn to ethanol pro-

duction and soybean armers are

switching to corn. Brazilian soy-

bean armers are expanding into

cattle pastures as cattle ranchers

move towards the Amazon, caus-

ing more deorestation.

About 2% o global irrigation water

is currently used or growing crops

to make biouels. Water is used both

or irrigation and during the biouel

production phase in refneries. Cul-tivating sugarcane is water inten-

sive, and the north-eastern parts

o Brazil oten suer rom droughts.

Sugarcane plantations need to be

irrigated as well. Fewer artifcial

irrigation systems are needed in

Brazil since the majority o crops

are rain-ed. To produce one liter o

bioethanol in Brazil rom sugarcanerequires 1,150 liters, whereas in

India it requires up to 3,500 liters.

The UN has

already identifed

60 million people

(globally) at risk o

displacement by

biouels.

A cattle arm at Estncia Bahia.. Source: Greenpeace / Daniel Beltr


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ChaptEr namE| 9

The high intensity o water use can

also have a direct impact on the

quality and quantity o water avail-

able or other uses in the area. There

is a link between sugarcane planta-

tion and water pollution, primarily

through the use o agro-chemicals

and waste water run-o. Pesticides

and ertilizers (nitrogen and phos-

phorus) appear to be the main water,

soil and aquier polluters.

The Ipojuca River in north-eastern

Brazil is directly aected by the

sugarcane industry through nitrate

leaching and acidifcation, increased

turbidity, and oxygen imbalance.

Once these pollutants reach the

natural waterways, they contami-

nate everything downstream as

well, aecting fshing and drinking

water. Legislation has been passed

by the Brazilian authorities to reduce

water pollution associated with sug-

arcane production.

The uel vs. ood debate has been

a controversy since the 1980s. The

main concern with the expansion o

global biouel production is that land

normally used to grow ood will now

be replaced to grow crops or uel. Bio-

uel production can lead to increased

hunger in the southern hemisphere

as ood is being diverted to eed

the cars in the North. Lesther Brown,

ounder o the Earth Policy Institute,

claims that the grain required to fll a

25-gallon SUV gas tank with ethanol

could eed one person or a year.

Even though 8% o the Brazilian pop-

ulation was undernourished between

2001-03, only 18% o the daily ood

intake originated rom sugar crops.

When there is an incentive to pro-

duce sugar crops or bio-ethanol

due to growing global demand, the

production o other edible crops may

decline resulting in prices increas-

ing. An example was the Mexican

Tortilla Crisis o 2007, when ris-

ing North American demand or

ethanol increased the price o corn

that Mexicans depended on as their

basic ood. The increase in cane

production in southeast Brazil dur-

ing the 2005-2006 harvest season

reduced the production o tomatoes,

peanuts, and oranges in So Paulo

and resulted in a decrease o coee

production in Minas Gerais, Esprito

Santo, and So Paulo.

Every 1% rise in the cost o ood

makes 16 million people ood inse-

cure. For the 2 billion poorest people

in the world, many o whom spend

hal or more o their income on

ood, rising grain prices can quickly

become lie threatening. The broader

risk is that rising ood prices could

spread hunger and generate political

instability in low-income countries.

fe . f

Recently burnt area east o the road BR 163, near Tau Indian land. Source: Greenpeace / Daniel Beltr


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10 | BiofuEls

Poor populations simply do not

have the economic exibility to deal

with ood price uctuations. There

is general consensus amongst

biouel advocates that developing

countries, particularly Brazil, will

beneft rom the expansion o thebiouel industry through job gener-

ation, oreign investment, regional

development in depressed areas,

new tax and oreign exchange rev-

enues, and the sale o technology.

In the 1970s, when Pernambuco

State in north-east Brazil was the

largest national producer o sug-arcane, poverty levels were among

the highest in the world. Current

Apart rom the high input o water

and pesticides, sugarcane produc-

tion also requires intensive labor.

The expansion o the sugarcane

crops in Brazil provides the rural

poor with direct and indirect

employment. Towards the end o

the 1980s, the ethanol industry

was the third largest job creator in

Brazil, with approximately 800,000

workers. The sugarcane industry

ranks as the second best paid agri-

cultural sector ater soybean arm-

ing. The workorce breakdown o

the Brazilian biouel agribusiness is

30% skilled positions, 10% semi-

skilled and 60% unskilled.

One o the problems associated

with sugarcane production is the

seasonality o the process, under-mining the possibility or permanent

employment as they are only hired

during harvest periods, which last

or six to seven months per year.

Sugarcane production also involves

a large amount o migrant workers.

In the sugarcane plantations in

So Paulo, some 200,000 workers

come rom dierent regions o thecountry, mostly the north-east and

rom Minas Gerais.

practices continue to pose serious

threats or the poor rural population.

One o Brazils most stringent prob-

lems is the issue o land tenure: 1%

o the countrys landowners control

nearly hal o all Brazils agricultural

land. In the 1970s and 1980s, land

tenure conicts were particularlyacute with the expulsion o small

armers rom their land by large-

scale ethanol producers. There are

laws to protect small-scale armers

rom displacement, but they are

oten weakly enorced.

The problem persists today and lies

within the responsibility o largeagribusiness expansion. Companies

or rich and powerul investors buy

up new land, potentially displac-

ing vulnerable communities whose

rights are poorly protected. The

Chair o the UN Permanent Forum

on Indigenous Issues has warned

that 60 million indigenous people

(worldwide) may be driven o their

lands to make way or biouels.

Be pe

lbEx

The grain required to fll a 25-gallon SUV

gas tank with ethanol could eed one

person or a year.Lester Brown

Workers at the sugar cane felds o Alagoas. Source: Ccero R. C. Omena


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ChaptEr namE| 11

No wonder-uel exists to make

unsustainable ways o lie sustainable.

The answer lies in the ability to change

consumption patterns in the northern

hemisphere and not in the expansion

o biouels in Brazil, or elsewhere in

the world. The bubble may not burst

or the biouel boom in Brazil, but only

i drastic environmental measures

are seriously taken into account and

enorced eectively will the natural

habitat be able to sustain the system.

Brazilians employed in the ethanol

sector are 60% low-skilled and

hired or the manual harvest o

sugarcane. Cane cutters ace some

o the hardest working conditions

due to a high workload, lack o pro-

tective equipment, poor health care

and an inadequate diet.

Workers are paid or the quantity

o sugarcane cut. In So Paulo,

a cane cutter receives $1.20 or

each ton o sugarcane cut and

packed. To earn $220 a month, a

worker needs to cut an average o

10 tons o sugarcane a day, which

means swinging his machete 30

times per minute, or eight hours

a day. In the 1980s, a cane cutter

would earn about $4.50 a day i

he cut close to our tons per day.

Now, he needs to cut 15 tons each

day to receive $3.50.

These conditions worsened with the

introduction o new genetically modi-

fed sugarcane technology, which is

higher in sucrose and weighs less.

According to Brazils Ministry o Labor

and Employment (MTE), previously

100m o sugarcane weighed 10 tons

and now its necessary to cut 300m

o sugarcane to add up to 10 tons.

Repetitive movement o cane cut-

ting causes tendinitis and spinal

column problems, loosening o the

joints and spasms, provoked by the

excessive loss o potassium. The

burning o the sugarcane prior to

harvest and pesticide usage can

also lead to respiratory illnesses,

allergies and even cancer.

Slavery and child labor in Brazil-

ian sugarcane plantations aects

migrant workers rom the north-

east and Minas Gerais. Between

the ages o 10 and 17, 23,000 are

involved in sugarcane production,

comprising 5.5% o the total work-

ers cutting sugarcane and 3% o all

workers in the sugarcane and eth-

anol industry. In March 2007, 288

workers were rescued rom slavery

in six sugar mills in So Paulo.

Workers at the sugar cane felds o Alagoas. Source: Ccero R. C. Omena


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12 | frEE tradE vs. sustainaBility

Free Trade

vs. Sustainability ?Brazils biouel industry was des-tined initially or domestic usage,

but increasing demand in the north-

ern hemisphere to fll vehicles with

green uels has motivated tropical

and developing countries, such as

Brazil, to export their biouels glob-

ally. Only 10% o biouels are tradedinternationally, hal o which come

rom Brazil. The Brazilian govern-

ment and pro-biouel advocates aim

to liberalize industrial biouels, elimi-

nating barriers to ree trade and most

importantly, taris and subsidies,

which avor domestic producers or

otherwise distort the ree market.

There is huge potential or conict

between World Trade Organization

(WTO) ree trade and environmental

protection trade most oten over-

rides preservation. Current WTO

regulations do not classiy a product

according to how it is produced:

ethanol is the end-product whetherit comes rom corn in the United

States or rom sugar cane in Brazil.

Environmental concerns, such as

deorestation o the Amazon, and

human rights-related problems, like

child labor, are disregarded.

I Brazil was to enorce environmen-

tally and socially sound practices, it

would likely become vulnerable to

challenges rom the international

trading system, led by the WTO, as

these measures would be deemedunnecessary obstacles to trade or

more trade-restrictive than neces-

sary. The battle between economics

and ecology wages on.

Mandatory certifcation

To provide social and environ-

mental sustainability, the principle

o mandatory certifcation should

include greenhouse gas emis-sions using the Lie Cycle Assess-

ment (LCA) method, protection o

labor/human rights, the impacts

on biodiversity and water, and the

competition with ood production.

Institutional reorm o the WTO

WTO regulations need to be in line

with modern environmental con-

cerns, such as the ones related

to producing biouels. The WTO

should be consistent with Multi-

lateral Environmental Agreements.

Conicting interests need to be rec-

onciled since environmental protec-

tion deserves a similar amount o

attention as ree trade. Both could

be complementary through care-

ully selected policies, as proposed

by a variety o actors, including

NGOs and environmentalists.

Diversifcation

I large-scale Brazilian bio-ethanol

production is unsustainable in the

frst place, then why opt to expand

when there are now alternative

renewables available? Instead o

subsidizing Brazils bio-ethanol

industry, government unds and

private investments should be spent

on developing renewables. This

does not mean discarding biouels

altogether because they can be

sustainable i they are produced in

small-scale arms or local use. Lets

think about better biouels instead o

more biouels.

The battle between economicsand ecology wages on.

s


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ChaptEr namE| 13

Beyond Biouels:

te lc de

Biouels are much more sustainable in general than ossil uels or many

reasons, but they are neither that sustainable nor are they renewable. The

Brazilian experience with ethanol, derived rom sugarcane and oil extracted

rom many species o plants, help clariy the notion o what really is sustainable.

The ethanol produced in Brazil-

ian sugarcane plantations is not

environmentally or socially sustain-

able. Soils are overexploited in a

way that depletes their usability ora ew decades. Sugarcane is not

renewable since it depends on soil

another non-renewable resource.

Burning straw crops o sugarcane

plantations ater harvesting results

in air pollution. In Barra Bonita (SoPaulo State), black snow ell upon

We Be enotsbethe inhabitants ater the burning o

cane plantations.

Sugarcane plantations have adverse

social eects such as detrimentalworking conditions as well as other

Writer: Luis Antonio Bittar Venturi

Luis Antonio Bittar Venturi is a specialist in the geography o naturalresources and a proessor at the University o So Paulo.

Shanty town in Manaus Amazonia, Brazil. Source: Shutterstock


14/36

14 | BEyond BiofuEls

health, economical and cultural

hazards. Besides the harmul smoke

rom plantation burning, small arm-

ers are induced to rent or sell their

land, or persuaded to produce only

sugarcane to maintain ethanolproduction. Abandoning traditional

crops, they lose their way o lie and

end up living in city slums. Local

markets, traditional estivities, social

relations, animals and plants are all

aected by planting sugarcane.

Biodiesel is a uel produced rom

vegetable oil. The production process

is similar to sugarcane grown on vast

territories that are highly mechanized

and widely ertilized which is only

viable or big investors and compa-nies. With one o the worst social

inequality standards measured by

the Gini coefcient in the world, most

high income in Brazil comes rom

highly-concentrated land ownership

o natural resource production.

The main dierence between sug-

arcane and dend is that the latter

lasts up to 25 years, which is better

to avoid soil erosion, while cane is

an ephemeral crop. The risks are the

same or any monoculture: plagues,diseases o plants (AF - Amar-

elecimento Fatal, or atal yellowing),

decline o native auna, and the

eect these have on the lands along

with accelerated deorestation.

We Beare

sbeThe IEEUSP (Electro-technique

and Energy Institute at the Univer-

sity o So Paulo) has been involved

with projects that are considered

socially and environmentally sus-

tainable, such as a small-scale

cane plantation in southern Brazil.

Farmers commit part o their land

to cultivate cane, which will betransormed into ethanol by local

cooperative distilleries. In this case,

they are guaranteed an income by

ethanol production and this allows

the armers to keep their traditional

crops o corn, bean, manioc and

some livestock. Land erosion is

reduced, biodiversity is conserved,

and a more socially-diverse way olie is preserved. This production is

economically, socially and environ-

mentally viable.

Another IEE-USP project acilitates

biouel production by local commu-

nities. In a very isolated community

called Vila Soledade, an 8-hour-boat

ride rom Moju, a small city in Par

(Amazonian State), the project gen-erated electricity rom machines run-

ning on vegetable oil. The community

is surrounded by a huge variety o

plants rich in oil, many o which are

well-known to locals. All they had to

learn was how to choose the plants,

collect the oil and pour it into gen-

erators. This project showed great

social, cultural, environmental andeconomical potential advantages.

Culturally, this community could

strengthen their relation with the

landscape to fnd the best plants

and collect oil rom them without

damaging nature. This training has

resulted in better environmental

preservation o the area due to bet-

ter awareness. Other advantages:

trees are not cut down and thereare no consequences on the air,

water, soil and animals.

There are two economic dimen-

sions here: many small local busi-

nesses became viable with this kind

o electricity production, resulting

in rising revenues. People started

reezing their ood in rerigeratorsand using electrical appliances in

Dend tree came rom Arica but is largely well

adapted to Brazils climate and is used also to

regenerate degraded areas.


15/36


16/36

16 | ChaptEr namE

Growing Aetite

or ElectricityBrazil is the worlds tenth largest consumer o electricity and now sits at the

top table o users o this most precious commodity. In the past two decades,

signifcant changes have occurred in the Brazilian electricity sector, striving to

meet its ever-increasing needs or the 21st century.

How is Brazils roduction and consumtion o electricity aected by continued

economic growth? Will the benefts be elt by all Brazilians?

According to the Energy Research

Company (EPE Empresa de

Pesquisa Energtica an entity

responsible or long-term plan-

ning in Brazils electricity sector),

electricity consumption between

2011 and 2021 in Brazil is set

to grow 4.5% every year, while

national GDP is predicted to grow

at an average rate o 4.7% a

year over the same period. Over

the next decade, the pressure to

deliver will be irmly on the Bra-

zilian government and more than

200 companies that supply elec-

tricity to the nation.

Writer: Mark Ekstrom

Mark Ekstrom is Energy Analyst at Revolve.

Over 86 %o Brazilselectricity

supplycomes romrenewables.

Light for All in Croa. Source: Srgio Vale / Agncia de Notcias do Acre


17/36

ElECtriCity| 17

Brazil has the third largest elec-

tricity sector in the Americas behind the United States and

Canada. Total installed electric-

ity generation capacity in Brazil

stands at more than 113 giga-

watts (113,000 megawatts

MW). Given that electricity imports

essentially come rom renewable

sources, Brazil can claim that

nearly 86% o its electricity supplycomes rom renewables.

Despite Brazils enormous hydro-

power capacity, more projects are

on the way, notably the controversialBelo Monte installation on the Xingu

River in the northern state o Par.

Once completed, Belo Monte will be

the third largest dam in the world

ater Chinas Three Gorges dam

and the Brazilian-Paraguayan Itaipu

installation. However, it is not just

large hydro projects that are under-

way. Brazils small-scale hydropowersector is also set to expand: rom

3,800 MW o installed capacity to

11,300 MW in 2012.

For Brazils wind energy sector, it

would seem that the only way is

up given its relatively tiny share o

the countrys electricity generation.

Indeed, the industry promises muchand business is booming. In the

last decade, Brazilian wind capacity

increased rom 22 MW to around

1,500 MW due in no small part

to Brazils Proina alternative energy

incentive program. In place since

2002, this eed-in tari program has

yielded the most signifcant growth

since 2008.

The Brazilian ederal government

has commissioned the construction

o 141 new projects to be delivered

between 2012 and 2013 and at an

investment o BRL 16 billion (6.6

billion euros). For 2016, the country

has more than 7,000 MW in the

pipeline, all o which points to veryhealthy growth in the sector.

Wee de Ce f?

h W e re

According to 2010 statistics provided

by EPE, a massive 74% o Brazilsdomestic electricity supply comes

rom hydropower, owing in large part

to installations like the 14,000 MW

Itaipu hydroelectric dam. Natural gas

comprises some 6.8% o supply,

while electricity imports account or

6.5%. Brazil also gets its electricity

rom biomass (4.7%), oil products

(3.6%), nuclear energy (2.7%), coal(1.3%) and wind power (0.4%).

Itaipu dam, the second largest in the world ater Chinas Three Gorges. Source: Nico Kaiser

Suzlon wind arm in Taba, north-east Brazil. Source: Otvio Nogueira


18/36

COLOMB

IA

VENEZUELA

GUYANA

SURINAM

E

XINGU

NATU

RALRES

OURCES

&ENERGYPROJECTS

TANA

JOS

TOCA

NTIN

S

MAD

EIRO

PURU

S

JUR

UEN

AS

AMAZ

ON

Theplannedca

pacityofBELOMONTEis

listedat11,233MW

whichwouldmakeitthe

second-largesthydroelectricdamcomplexin

Brazilandtheworld'sthird-largestininstalled

capacity,behindtheThreeGorgesDamin

ChinaandtheBrazilian-ParaguayanItaipuDam

BRAZILIAN

HIGHLANDS

NEGRO

N

orth

Atlantic

O

cean

G

UIANA

HIG

HLANDS

AMAZON

FRE

NCH

GUIANA

SAOFRANCISCO

Amazon

meadows

Savanna

(cerrado)

Grassland

(pampa)

Mangrove

anddune

vegetation

Areasof

mixed

vegetation

High

altitude

meadows

Oiland

NaturalGas

exploration

andproduction

AMAZONAS

BASIN

AMAZONAS

BASIN

AMAZON

RAINFOREST

POTIG

UARBASIN

PERNAMBUCO

BASIN

SERGIPE

ALAGOAS

BASIN

FERNANDO

DENORONHA

CE

AR

PARACURU

9

7

5

Population

190million

Source:IBGE

Th

orny

s

crub

(caatinga)

Subtropical

seasonal

forest

Arauca

ria

pineforest

Tropical

rainforest


19/36

PERU

BOLIVIA

CHILE

ARGENT

INA

PARAGUAY

URUGUAY

PARAGUAY

URUG

UAY

Coffeeregion

PARA

NA

MOSTEXPENSIVE

OBJECTONEARTH

TheITAIPU

HYDROELECTRIC

DAM

ontheP

arana

Riverbetween

Braziland

Paraguaycost$27billion

tobuildin1984($35.93

billiontoday),which

makesitthep

riciest

objectonEarth.

Onlythe

InternationalS

pace

Station(ISS)h

ascost

moreasasingleproject.

Sout

h

Atlantic

O

cean

Biomasses

13.1

%

Uranium

1.2

%

Hydroelectric

15%

NaturalGas

9.3

%Oil

38.4

%

Renewable

2.7%

BRAZILIAN

ENERGY

MATRIX

Source:Ministerio

deMinaseEnergia

Coal

6.4

%

Sugarcane

13.9

%

44.7

%

ofenergygenerated

inBrazilisfrom

renewablesources

SANTOSBASIN

CAMPOSBASIN

ESPRITO

SANTOBASIN

BA

SIN

ATLANTIC

FOREST

Theyarecurrently

59windfarmsin

operation

throughoutthe

Braziliannortheast

andsouthernstates

andmorethan30

othersarecurrently

underconstruction.

THELARGES

T

COMPLEXOFWIN

D

POWERGENERATIO

N

INLATINAMERIC

A

TheOSORIOWIN

D

FARM

locatedin

themunicipalityofth

e

samenameinth

e

StateofRioGrand

e

doSulwith150MW

ofinstalledcapacity.

10

8

1

26

4

PortoAlegre1,409,93910

Recife1,536,9349

Curitiba1,746,8968

Manaus1,802,5257

BeloHorizonte2,375,4446

Fortaleza2,447,4095

Braslia2,562,9634

Salvador2,676,6063

SoPaulo11,244,369

2

TOP10CITIES

1

RiodeJaneiro6,323,03


20/36

20 | ChaptEr namE

Brazil has made great strides in

recent years connecting the uncon-

nected. Those systems integrated

into the SIN are a symbolically

important eat and increasingelectricity access by millions has

become a success story o the early

21st century.

Luz paraTodos( Light or All )

Over the next decade, the Brazilian

government expects the countrys

installed electricity capacity toincrease by over 63 gigawatts, and

it is certain that both industry and

residential sectors will take up the

lions share o consumption. Cur-

rently, the industrial and residential

sectors consume, respectively, over

44 and 23% o Brazils electricity.

Over hal o the electricity con-sumed in Brazil is accounted or

by the populous south-east region,

due to the signifcant industrial

and residential demand in the So

Paulo State and the State o Rio de

Janeiro. For the frst time however,

consumption in the north-east has

surpassed consumption in Bra-

zils southern regions. Predictably,consumption in the Amazon basin

and the countrys center-west and

north regions is much lower.

However, in the states o Acre and

Rondnia, in the countrys northern

region, a great deal o progress has

been made incorporating local iso-

lated systems into the national grid,

or the National Interconnected Sys-

tem (SIN). As a result, Brazil now

has a avorable statistic: 98.4%

o the energy consumed across

the country is integrated into the

SIN (isolated systems still without

the SIN are mainly located in the

Amazon area).

W Ge eEecc?

According to the Global Wind Energy

Council, Brazil has more than 350

gigawatts o wind energy poten-

tial. Without a doubt, Brazil is Latin

Americas most promising wind

market because o avorable wind

conditions (good wind speed and low

turbulence) in the north-east region

o the country where the states o

Bahia, Cear, Pernambuco and Rio

Grande do Norte could become hubs

or a wind energy generation.

Moreover, the strategic signifcance

o wind cannot be understated.

Its contribution to Brazils energy

mix will be important as winds are

stronger during dry periods (June

to December) when production o

hydropower tends to all. As Brazils

hydropower generating acilities are

ar rom main urban demand areas,

there are signifcant transmission

and distribution challenges to over-

come. Much remains to be gained

rom exponential growth in the wind

sector.

Program Light or All brings electricity to families in the comunities by the rivers Tarauac e Mur. Source: Agncia de Notcias do Acre


21/36

ElECtriCity| 21

The Light or All program, launched

in November 2003 under ormer

president Luiz Incio Lula da Silva,

aimed to bring electricity to two million

households that did not have access

to a reliable and permanent source

o electricity. The initial goal was

achieved in 2009 and by September

2011 the program had reached 2.8

million amilies, representing an esti-

mated 14.2 million people.

This rural electrifcation was

achieved through network expan-

sion and distribution o generating

systems. It meant that whole com-

munities were connected to reliableelectricity supplies. According to

research by the Brazilian Ministry o

Mines and Energy, this even reversed

traditional migration ows rom rural

areas to major cities. An estimated

680,000 people moved back to their

home regions by 2011.

Ater compiling responses rom aresearch survey, the Ministry esti-

mated that in 2009 amily income

grew by 35% due to the addition

o electricity to homes, with 90%

reporting improvements in living con-

ditions. The Light or All program

has oered a stark reminder that

behind the megawatts and growth

projections there is a human element

to the consumption o electricity.

However one may wish to qualiy

progress, it is clear that Brazils

enormous appetite or this com-

modity shows no signs o abat-

ing. Over the next decade, indus-

trial, residential and commercial

sectors will drive demand or

electricity, and Brazil will ensure

that it remains at the oreront o

renewables growth and electricity

sector progress.

Program Light or All profts isolated community in Croa. Source: Agncia de Notcias do AcreSource: Agncia de Notcias do Acre

Program Light or All profts isolated community in Croa. Source: Agncia de Notcias do Acre


22/36

22 | EnvironmEnt

Global Leader

Brazil hosted the watershed Earth Summit in 1992

the frst global environmental conerence with

172 governmental reresentatives and 2,400 NGOs.

Twenty years later, governments and civil society return or

Rio+20: the United Nations Conerence on Sustainable

Develoment rom June 20-22 to address very similarissues only more pressing now or the environment and

with new global alignments.

Within climate change politics,

developed countries are being

challenged by a group o rapidly

developing countries Brazil,

South Arica, India and China

(BASIC). In 2009 these nations

ormed a joint action agreement

to address issues challenging the

status quo to promote the develop-

ing worlds agenda as presented

at the 15

th

UN Conerence o theParties (CoP) in Copenhagen.

Together with the United States,

the our countries came out with

the Copenhagen Accord in the fnal

hour o CoP15. The accord can

be viewed as a testament o their

growing inuence. Although not a

legally-binding agreement, it was

adopted by all parties the ollow-ing year at the CoP16 in Cancun,

Mexico. A defnite shit away rom

traditional geo-politics is occurring

and the BASIC countries are lead-

ing the way. Brazils new allies have

eectively brought credibility back

to a crumbling negotiation process.

Until CoP15 in Copenhagen, Brazil

was negotiating alone. The Brazil-

ian Proposal in the 2007 Bali Road

Map (adopted at CoP13) suggestedsharing the burden o addressing

climate change according to dam-

age done in dierent sectors and

not based solely on emissions.

This proposal was considered, but

not implemented, due to Brazils

inability at the time to inuence

more developed countries. The

accumulation o greenhouse gasesin the atmosphere, which take at

Writer: Lubomir MitevLubomir Mitev is Climate and Energy Analyst at Revolve.

Brazils program orreducing greenhousegas emissions isbased primarilyon diminishingdeorestation andincreasing sustainableland use.


23/36

ChaptEr namE| 23

binding targets or the reduction

o greenhouse gas emissions.

Divisions stems rom the dier-

ent socio-economic positions o

the our countries. With diverse

environmental problems, eachconcentrates and highlights its

own most pressing issues in nego-

tiations. Their common objective,

as with many developing coun-

tries, is to grow economically and

sustainably now out o necessity

without pre-conditions imposed

by the developed countries that

bear most responsibility or the

unchecked increase o carbon

emissions historically.

Negotiations between the BASIC

countries demonstrate more

coherence now. In 2010, they

announced additional techno-

logical and inancial support or

poorer nations rom the G77 (the

group o 77 developing countries).

It was not only an act o aid, but

a direct expression o criticism or

the lack o assistance by devel-

oped nations. Diversity between

Brazil, South Arica, India and

China could weaken unity, but the

countries are strong representa-

tives o our continents and their

benevolence towards develop-

ing countries provides them with

widespread support.

least 100 years to be reabsorbed

by plant-lie, makes protection o

orests equally as relevant as the

reduction o carbon emissions. This

relationship is the Brazilian govern-

ments main argument in global

environmental negotiations.

However, there have been dis-

agreements within the BASIC

group as well. Ater CoP15, Brazil

criticized the lack o commitment

or real change by developed

nations. China proposed unbind-

ing unilateral commitments, while

South Arica and India expressed

disappointment with the lack o

results and reused to accept

Burning pasture in deorested area in the Amazon. Source: Greenpeace / Rodrigo Baleia


24/36

24 | EnvironmEnt

participate in the struggle against

climate change.

The program in Brazil or reducinggreenhouse gas emissions is based

primarily on diminishing deores-

tation and increasing sustainable

land use. Several environmental

groups have disapproved o the

governments approach since the

only available statistics on green-

house gas emissions, pollution,

and deorestation are provided bythe state; they also claim that there

is a lack o transparency with the

overall process o ofcial calcula-

tion. NGOs have called repeatedly

on the government to decrease this

opaqueness and include them in the

decision-making process. Green-

peace has expressed a note o opti-

mism since Brazil accepted a targetto reduce greenhouse gas emissions

by at least 36% by 2020 and called

it a major step orward.

Brazil is at the avant-garde o sus-

tainable policies in South America.

Brazils government highlights the

act that social, economic and envi-ronmental policies have addressed

inherent national problems more

eectively. At CoP16 in Cancun,

the Brazilian Minister o Environ-

ment, Dr. Izabella Teixeira stated:

In the last decade the extreme

poverty in the Brazilian popula-

tion was reduced by 70%. In the

same period the deorestation ratedecreased over 75%.

Brazil has become a leader with

long experience on the topic o

deorestation and its relationship to

climate change. The RED (Reduced

Emissions rom Deorestation),

REDD (Reduced Emissions rom

Deorestation and Degradation),and REDD+ (Reduced Emissions

rom Deorestation plus Conser-

vation) plus Sustainable Forestry

Management and Maintenance

o Forest Stocks negotiations are

largely based on Brazilian propos-

als or addressing these issues.

A 2009 report co-authored bythe Sustainable Amazon Founda-

tion and the Frum Brasileiro de

Mudanas Climticas (Brazilian

Forum on Climate Change) shows

dierent tactics or both govern-

mental and private sector involve-

ment suggesting that the Brazilian

government take a constructive

approach to negotiating marketcompensatory mechanisms or

sbe pce

REDD at the UN climate change

conventions. The G77 supports

this position. The ofcial recom-

mendations are to establish bilat-eral and multilateral partnerships

with countries interested in REDD,

especially the Brazil regional states

o the Amazon.

Brazils strong position on REDD

reinorced commitments by all

states to address deorestation as

a major topic in climate changenegotiations. Brazil has experience

with the creation o policy and

market mechanisms or the reduc-

tion o deorestation and promo-

tion o sustainable land use and

has won widespread support or

its proposals. From the Bali Road

Map, the Copenhagen Accord, the

Cancun Agreement to the mostrecent Durban Platorm, REDD has

become the center o discussion

on how developing countries can

Serra do Divisor. Source: Srgio Vale / Agncia de Notcias do Acre


25/36

EnvironmEnt| 25

To what extent the proposed

actions are realistic depends on

government resources and the

eective implementation o policyand mechanisms to reduce deor-

estation. At the CoP17 in Durban,

Dr. Teixeira stated that Brazil has

been taking a orward position in

order to promote the reduction o

emissions o greenhouse gases

and at the same time to develop

sustainably. Developing countries

are expected to not pollute likeindustrialized countries while still

developing economically. The expi-

ration o the Kyoto Protocol bind-

ing developed nations to reduce

greenhouse gas emissions by the

end o 2012 signifes the lack o

progress made in global negotia-

tions by developed states.

Countries at CoP17 were optimistic

that a new commitment period under

the Kyoto Protocol could be agreed

upon and that enhanced action on

mitigation and adaptation to climate

change, as well as fnance, technol-

ogy transer and capacity-building

mechanisms would be strength-

ened. In her statement at the CoP17High-Level Segment, Dr. Teixeira

highlighted all the issues to which

her government was ready to con-

tribute in the negotiations:

In addition to the establishment

o the second commitment period

o the Kyoto Protocol, we must

also operationalize the institutionsagreed to in Cancun, including the

Ce pc

Adaptation Committee, the Climate

Technology Center and Network,

the registry o nationally appropri-

ate mitigation actions and interna-tional support, the work program on

response measures, and the Green

Climate Fund. The implementation

o these institutions will strengthen

the international climate change

regime, enabling immediate action

to tackle climate change.

Brazils holistic approach to inter-national environmental nego-

tiations is a clear reection o its

inuence in climate change poli-

tics. Its leadership on the issues

surrounding deorestation and

sustainable land use, as well as

the clear example o how these

problems can be ameliorated in

combination with poverty, hunger,

and economic development make

Brazil a dynamic partner to many inthe discussions.

In order or Brazil to retain and con-

tinue as a strong voice or develop-

ing nations, together with its allies

rom the BASIC group, it must stay

ocused on its domestic policies

and their eective implementation.This innovative South American

state can guide developing and

industrialized countries alike by

providing a positive example and

alternative solutions to alter the

politics in order to adapt to climate

change more constructively.

Serra do Divisor. Source: Srgio Vale / Agncia de Notcias do Acre


26/36

26 | sponGEs

SpONGESand the Source o LieSponges (Phylum Porifera) are the

oldest metazoan group still existing

on Earth. Apart rom the commercially

bath sponges well known since the

Greek civilization, more than 7,000

species are currently described and

new ones are regularly discovered They

have remarkably survived over Earths

changing chemical history since the

Late Cambrian (509 MYA) in all aquatic

environment, rom marine intertidal zonesto abyssal ones as well as in reshwater.

Based on feldwork inChile, Argentina, Peru andBrazil, Dr. Philippe Willenz,researcher at the Royal

Belgian Institute o NaturalSciences, in Brussels, ispart o an internationalteam coordinated byProessor EduardoHajdu (Museu Nacional,Universidade Federal do

Rio de Janeiro) that ispursuing an ambitiousgoal to inventory SouthAmerican sponges. Hereis an exclusive selection

o underwater images osponges to be ound othe coast o Brazil.


27/36

Spongeresearch has brought

practical answers to undamental

biological questions such as under-standing the biosynthesis o chemicals and

minerals, the evolution o eukaryotic immunology,understanding physiological adaptive strategies tocope with extreme environments or even revealing

the unctional and phylogenetic complexity o themicrobial universe associated to sponge tissues.Many o these contemporary studies were based

on international multidisciplinary eorts. Brazil-ian sponges have gained much scientifc

interest in the last decades due to thelarge diversity o these aquatic

animal species.


28/36

In the 19th century, Robert Grant coined the term Poriferaor sponges that were then recognized as an independentmetazoan lineage. Increasingly, sponges are studied as parto a broader enterprise attempting to detail the Tree o Lie.

TheBrazilian school o

sponge scientists began 20

years ago in cooperation with France.Today, Rios natural history museum

stores a collection o more than 15.000

specimens collected around South America.There are several sponge labs now in Brazil,including Rio, Salvador de Bahia, and Recie

where young scientists regularly embarkinto varied research areas mainlybased on taxonomy.


29/36

Manybooks and

illustrated feld guides have

come out recently, including theCatalogue of Brazilian Porifera. Due

to their anti-inective, anti-cancer andanti-inammatory properties, spongeshave also received growing attention

rom pharmaceutical companies

or the development o newnatural products.

Sponges

grow in distinctshapes and colors. Moretypes can be ound in tropical

regions, less in colder parts o theworld oceans. Sponges are divided

into our distinct classes, 25 orders,128 amilies and 680 genera.

There are several hundred

resh water species.


30/36

30 |art

see af s p7Sp

For the past decade, So Paulo

has become a thriving economic

and cultural hub in Brazil and as

such attracts a growing number o

Brazilian artists, gallery owners and

collectors while also encouraging

new platorms dedicated to artistic

expression, including the Bien-

nial SP Art Fair. The 7SP exhibition

presents seven artists who all work

and live in So Paulo: Sandra Cinto,

Albano Aonso and Paulo Climach-

auska belong to the 1990s genera-

tion and have participated in some

o the most important exhibitions

presented in Brazil in recent years,

including the Biennial de So Paulo

and Panorama da Arte Brasileira.

Ana Elisa Egreja, Rodrigo Bivar and

Raael Carneiro belong to a younger

generation o painters who have

re-introduced fgurative painting to

the local art scene and are expe-

riencing huge success in Brazil at

the moment. Wagner Malta Tavares

belongs to the 1990s generation

but started working in the art feld

recently through art installations.

This project proposes three in-situ

creations by Sandra Cinto, Albano

Aonso and Paulo Climachauska,

as well as a selection o the mostrecent works by some o the artists

rom the new painting generation

and a video installation. All seven

artists share an international point

o view produced with a Brazilian

avor. They all reect the concerns

o Brazilians today, including the

uture o the countrys natural beau-

ties and the uncertainty o the uturein a country ull o contradictions.

Where do we come rom? What are

a exb ce b reje C

Raael Carneiro (b, 1985) untitled, 2012. Oil on canvas, 170x300cm

sandra Cinto

WaGnEr malta tavarEs

paulo ClimaChauska

alBano afonso

rafaEl CarnEiro

rodriGo Bivar

ana Elisa EGrEJa


31/36

art| 31

we doing? Where are we going?

These are common questions

around the world, but the dierence

is that these artists are raising themin a country considered emergent

with a bright uture ahead.

Albano Aonso (b. 1964) Paradise, 2011, september belo horizonte, 2012. Four perorated photographs on aluminum paper and wallpaper.230X125cm each

From Aril 21 - June 16

CAB Art Center

32-34 Rue Borrens,B-1050 Belgiumwww.cab.be

Paulo Climachauska (b. 1962)Hear My Train a Com In, 2012. China inkand acrylic on canvas, 280 x 200 cm

Wagner Malta Tavares (b. 1964). Uma Diverao Um Tormento Uma Ocupaao, 2005. Video 10

Sandra Cinto (b. 1968) The Wave, 2012. Acrylic and permanent pen on canvas, 180x250cm


32/36

Osklenmg sb C

Brand anthropologist

Anouk Pappers and

storyteller MaartenScher meet Brazils

visionary ashion designer

Oskar Metsavaht and get a

glimpse behind-the-scenes

o his design studio

about Brazils Arican

roots, fsh skinand the inspiring

Rio liestyle.

Writers: Maarten Scher and Anouk Pappers

32 | fashion


33/36

fashion| 33

This article is part o theCoolBrands bookAroundthe World in 80 Brands (July2012) by Maarten and Anoukas they travel rom country to

country connecting stories anddiscovering brands.

For more about OskarMetsavaht, visit

www.coolbrandshouse.com

about his vision o Brazil as a

global role model or sustainability.

He sees it as his personal mission

to make sustainability cool, and

to make the sustainable liestyle

something that people want to bea part o.

Oskar gets up and goes over

to the model in the middle o the

room. He gently tugs at the dress

to expose more o the girls back,

while Juliana pins the material

down into this new shape. I fnd

womens backs very sensual,

Oskar says as he turns to us witha smile. He takes a step back and

considers the adjustments beore

sending the model o to the photo

shoot in the next room.

Let me show you how we work,

he says and leads us to a table in

the corner where a series o design

sketches and photos are laid out.

These are the design sketches orthe new collection. Every time one

o these outfts has been ftted, we

send the model over to the photo

studio and we replace the sketch

with a photo. And by the end o the

day, we have a collection!

As soon as we arrive in Oskar

Metsavahts atelier, we are caught

up in a urry o models, make-up

artists and stylists who are getting

ready or a ftting session o the

new Osklen collection.In the main studio, racks o

clothing are lined up along the walls

and studio lighting has been set up

in ront o a makeshit catwalk.

Several Osklen sta members are

sitting on the oor surrounded by

sketchbooks, cameras and laptops.

Leaning back in a black direc-

tors chair at the ar end o theroom, Oskar Metsavaht is critically

sizing up a slender black model in

a dark-green voile dress. His ash-

ion coordinator Juliana Suassana

walks over to the model and pulls

up the skirt. It needs to be shorter

at the back, she says just as Oskar

notices us standing by the door.

Come in, come in! he beckons.Welcome! Were just starting!

We join Oskar and Juliana and

watch as the next model heads

down the runway in a long black-

and-gold dress with a low back.

At our previous meeting on

Arpoador Beach, Oskar told us


34/36

the theme o sustainability, the more

I have come to realize that it is not

just about ecology and nature, but

that there are strong cultural and

historical elements as well. For

years, I have wanted to explorethe theme o Brazils cultural

heritage, but I never ound

the right spark to make it

happen.

Anouk smiles with an

air o disbelie: It sounds

wind has no color or orm, so how

do you design clothes on the theme

o wind?

It seems that with every collec-

tion you are taking your designs and

the message they carry to a higherlevel, Anouk says.

I guess thats

true, Oskar says

pensively. The

urther I explore

I dont know how you do it,

says Anouk, leafng through a photo

portolio o previous collections.

Where do you get your inspiration?It must be such a challenge to every

time develop a new concept that fts

within your broader vision.

Oskar lowers his voice as i hes

about to let us in on a secret: Osklen

draws its inspiration rom the Rio

way o lie a balance between the

simplicity o nature and urban sophis-

tication. I get inspiration rom manysources: a natural phenomenon, a

personal experience oceans, the

Amazon, wind, rain

For instance, the frst idea or

the Vento collection came during a

party on a Rio rootop where I

was observing the wind play-

ing with peoples clothes.

I started thinking about it:

Cg w

34 | fashion


35/36

fashion| 35

leather appears sot and thin, but it

is oten more resistant and sturdy

than bovine leather. Because social

awareness is an important part o

the Osklen brand, we source ourfsh leather rom indigenous tribes

in the Amazon basin, thus allowing

local communities to maintain their

traditional liestyle.

Oskar shits his attention back to

the catwalk, while we sit back and

watch the Osklen team at work. The

Royal Black collection is coming

together right in ront o our eyes:simple, clean lines and natural

tones grays, beiges and whites

combined with black and gold.

The last model makes her way

down the catwalk, showing o a

light cotton pantsuit. She strikes

a pose and gives us a cool look

through her large sunglasses. We

get the message: sustainabilitycan be cool!

more like a theme or a PhD thesis

than or a ashion collection. How are

you going to translate such a complex

topic into design?

Oskar laughs. Actually I already

have its the collection you seehere, he says pointing at the photos

and sketches on the table.

As you may know, 2011 was

the UN Year o Arican Roots, which

led me to explore the connection

between Arica and Brazil, he says.

Brazilian culture has strong Arican

inuences: in music, in dance even

in our local religion, Candomble.

And this is the result, he

says with a smile as he looks at

the models preparing themselves,the Royal Black collection. A tall

blonde girl struts through the ate-

lier wearing large sunglasses and

a short orange overall. Oskar goes

over and walks around the model

with a thoughtul air.

By the way, this is an e-Fabric,

says Oskar. I get out my camera to

take a close-up shot o the shiny

texture.

What is it made o exactly?I ask.

E-Fabric is actually not just the

material itsel, it is a broader con-

cept that covers all aspects o the

sourcing and production process. It

looks at everything: who we buy the

raw material rom; how we interact

with those communities; and the

environmental impact o tanningprocesses, its one whole.

And fsh skin? I ask. I heard

you use that in your designs what

is that like?

Oskar points at the orange

overall. This is it! He explains

that in the ood industry fsh skins

are usually thrown away, despite

the act that they are perectlyusable as a leather substitute. Fish

e-fbc


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revolve magazine: brazil report

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