Former Brazilian government minister and IICA special advisor calls for rejection of climate change denialism and unfounded blame on agriculture

Former Brazilian Minister of the Environment and Special Advisor to the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Izabella Teixeira, has emphasized the need to reject both climate change denialism and the unfounded blaming of agriculture for global problems.

Teixeira spoke at the opening of the Congress of the Argentine Association of No-till Farmers (AAPRESID) which was attended by around 7,500 people. She highlighted the critical role of agriculture in achieving food, energy, and environmental security. Drawing from her experience as Brazil’s chief negotiator at COP 21, she stressed that the path to global economic decarbonization must be based on scientific evidence and reliable data.

Speaking on the panel “The Future of Agri-Food Systems of the Americas,” Teixeira pointed out that the debate on climate change extends beyond environmental issues to encompass development, geopolitics, and international trade. She called for a balanced view that recognizes agriculture’s contributions to food and energy security while addressing its challenges through science-based solutions.

Teixeira also criticized “green protectionism,” which imposes unjustified barriers on international agricultural trade under the guise of environmental concerns. She warned that new consumer demands could increase costs for producers but reaffirmed the importance of agriculture as a provider of solutions to the climate crisis.

“We must move away from discourses that deny the climate crisis,” she warned, “and we must underscore the importance of agriculture as a solution provider. Today, when one thinks of food and nutritional security, it is linked to energy security. The agricultural agenda announces the future.”

Teixeira also highlighted the role of Latin America and the Caribbean as a continent of peace, which is also a reliable supplier of agricultural products to the world, and called for an alliance with the private sector which she said, “needs to have a political role.”