The UN Climate Change Conference in Belém, Brazil, or COP30, running from November 10 to 21, delivered advances in both the scale and quality of international climate cooperation. After intense negotiations, the parties adopted a document titled Global Mutirao: Uniting Humanity in a Global Mobilization Against Climate Change, covering issues including climate change mitigation and adaptation, climate finance and international cooperation. The Parties agreed to triple funding for climate adaptation by 2035 and to establish a just transition mechanism (ensuring climate transition is fair and inclusive for all). "Mutirao" means collective efforts. These outcomes have injected fresh momentum into global climate governance and opened broader space for cooperation. 

Enhancing climate cooperation is a role that the State Grid Brazil Holding (SGBH) has embraced. A subsidiary of the State Grid Corp. of China, SGBH has been operating in Brazil for more than a decade, not only as a builder of energy infrastructure but also as an active driver of bilateral green cooperation and energy transition.

Connecting Chinese and Brazilian expertises 

In the face of growing climate challenges, the role of enterprises in energy transition has become increasingly important. "Against the backdrop of energy transition, low-carbon and green development is essential; and above all, we must ensure the secure supply of energy," Sun Tao, President of SGBH, said.

SGBH's green practices are embodied in the ±800 kv ultra-high voltage (UHV) transmission project currently under development in Brazil's northeast. As the largest project of its kind in Brazil's history, the lines being constructed under the project are comparable to a "green artery" that will traverse the country, transporting clean energy over long distances. Chinese UHV technology, known for its distinctive advantages of low losses over long distances, high capacity and minimal land use and environmental impact, is exceptionally well suited to Brazil's vast geography and its distribution of energy resources.

The African proverb, "If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together," aptly captures the spirit of this cooperation. To address grid stability challenges stemming from the large-scale integration of new energy sources, SGBH led the establishment of the Electricity Industry Sharing Alliance (EISA) in November 2024. According to Sun, alliance membership has grown from 14 to over 20 organizations, with a clear mission: "To jointly address emerging risks in new-energy development, share advanced technologies and equipment and study future challenges for the entire electricity sector."

Brazil has a long history of developing its power system, and China, which once learned a lot from Itaipu Hydroelectric Plant's advanced eco-protection experiences, is now a global leader in high-voltage direct current transmission. The overhaul of the Itaipu system, contracted to a subsidiary of State Grid Corp. of China, began in January 2024. "The challenges we face today are those Brazil might face tomorrow. Strengthening cooperation is essential to avoid detours," Sun noted.

This year, EISA celebrated its first anniversary in the China Pavilion at COP30 and released an outcomes report showcasing advances in areas such as renewable energy integration, smart grids and energy storage—offering solutions tailored to Brazil's national conditions.

Cultural connections 

Throughout its more than a decade in Brazil, SGBH has not only built energy infrastructure but also promoted the sharing of culture. Sun underscored this commitment, saying "Our market-orientation, long-term operation and localization strategy is not only about business development, but also about fostering China-Brazil cultural exchange."

For 13 years, SGBH has continuously supported the Orquestra Maré do Amanhã project, which introduces music and new opportunities to children from vulnerable communities. "This project has enabled local children to find alternative paths of growth, away from firearms, drugs and violence," Sun explained. "In this case, music is more than art—it is a bridge that changes lives."

Another platform for China-Brazil cultural exchange is the China-Brazil Friendship Garden, located in the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden. An exhibition in the garden on tea culture, sponsored by SGBH, presents visitors with the history of tea development in Brazil and its significance in Chinese culture. "Many people come specifically to see it, and they enjoy it very much," Brazilian curator Lorrayne Rodrigues said.

In 2026, China and Brazil will jointly celebrate the China-Brazil Year of Culture, and SGBH has already begun preparations, planning to continue telling the story of tea and coffee while launching a series of cultural exchange activities.

"Through these exchanges, we do more than enhancing infrastructure connectivity and technology connectivity—we strengthen people-to-people connectivity," Sun said.

New plan for partnership 

During a plenary session held in October, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China adopted recommendations for the formulation of the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30). The recommendations call for expanding high-level opening up and forging new horizons for mutually beneficial cooperation. SGBH has laid out a clear roadmap for its activities in the next five years and over the longer term—the company aims to double its assets and profits by 2032, becoming a "world-class energy enterprise" aligned with Brazil's National Energy Plan 2030. 

Maintaining openness and pursuing mutual benefit are essential for Chinese modernization. Cooperation offers a more stable international environment for companies like State Grid to advance green energy projects in Brazil and beyond.

In the global effort to tackle climate change, cooperation is the only way forward. Through enterprises such as State Grid, China and Brazil demonstrate how to turn challenges into opportunities and transform vision into action. BR

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson 

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