While official accounts of the Brazilian government’s experiment with biofuels—particularly ethanol— laud it as a global model for sustainable biomass production, it is increasingly being criticized and opposed by national social movements and civil society. To challenge the official rhetoric, this policy brief aims to bring critical voices to the forefront of the debate, explore their arguments, and raise awareness among US organizations, citizens, and public officials about what is going on in the “Biofuels Republic of Brazil.”

Summary

This policy brief presents Brazilian civil society’s perspective and the South's critical analysis on
biofuels, and addresses the issue at the following three levels:

1. Regional: focuses on a geopolitical analysis and implications of the Brazil-US ethanol alliance.

2. Global: examines the corporate strategy that has come to determine the main oficial discourse on agroenergy and how to tackle climate change.

3. Grassroots Resistance: describes how grassroots groups are challenging the current framing of energy security issues, and presents their proposed agenda for energy security built upon food and energy sovereignty for “cooling down the earth.”

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