CARE Brazil, CantorCO2e and the Government of the State of Piauí Join Forces to Support Policy on Local Development, Sustainable Biofuel, Climate Change and Fight Against Poverty

Brasilia, BRAZIL, April 27 2007 – CARE Brazil, a humanitarian organization committed to fighting poverty, today announced that it had signed a letter of intent with CantorCO2e, a leading financial services provider to the world’s energy and environmental markets, to prepare and help to implement the state policy for climate change in the State of Piauí, Brazil.

The letter of intent will be in force for three years, establishing a crucial joint initiative to reduce the effects of climate change in the State of Piauí, Brazil, whilst also promoting local development and the fight against poverty within the region.

Care Brazil, CantorCO2e and the State of Piauí will between them: prepare a work proposal to fight poverty; define guidelines to adjust to and mitigate the effects of climate change; establish the State Forum on Climate Change and Fight against Poverty; articulate the support and technical assistance to the State Policy; coordinate a strategic action to define internationally recognized parameters for sustainable biofuel; and negotiate on the market carbon credits resulting from projects within the region.

This unprecedented partnership between the public sector, private sector, and civil society to work on a public policy combining climate change with the fight against poverty, will look to establish a set of rules and guidelines enabling the State of Piauí to develop a program of adaptation to climate change in line with social inclusion.  To meet this objective, the State of Piauí’s Government intends to create a favorable environment to attract public and private investments that promote local development.

The State of Piauí has one of the lowest human development indices in Brazil and may be adversely affected by climate change.  Global warming in the Northeast semi-arid region may turn large areas into even drier regions, causing deep changes in agricultural production and access to water, making the rural and urban populations even more vulnerable. 

Commenting on the announcement, Markus Brose, CEO of CARE Brazil said, “We are already seeing the impact of climate change with the poorest communities being the ones most affected.  Therefore it is important that we help them to secure their future well being alongside that of the climate’s.”

Steve Drummond, Managing Director at CantorCO2e said, “We are delighted to be working further with CARE Brazil on a project which not only helps the environment, but aids local communities which otherwise would be unable to fund or resource such a project themselves.”

About CARE Brazil

CARE Brazil integrates the network of CARE International – a humanitarian organization committed to fighting poverty in more than 70 countries.

CARE Brazil has been developing the programs in Bahia; Piauí ; Rio de Janeiro; Amazonas and São Paulo States. . Those programs contribute to improving the local quality of life and generate knowledge that will be used by CARE Brazil in social mobilization actions such as the participation in the discussion of public policies. In Brazil, CARE will start an effort to reduce greenhouse effect gases in impoverished communities in 2007 through the CARE Brasil Social Carbon Fund.

For more information access www.care.org.br (in Portuguese)

About CantorCO2e

CantorCO2e is a leading global provider of financial services to the world’s environmental and energy markets, offering finance, consultancy, advice, technology, and transaction services to clients engaged in using energy and managing emissions across the world.

CantorCO2e helps people and corporations to manage the financial aspects of their energy and environmental choices.  We provide brokerage services to the energy and environmental commodity markets as well as bring expertise, finance and technology to projects that reduce emissions.

CantorCO2e serves all of the world’s principal emissions markets, including the Kyoto markets (CDM, JI and European emissions trading), the US compliance markets (emissions, renewable energy credits, wastewater, etc), and the voluntary carbon market.  We help entities transact via electronic trading screens, voice brokerage, as well as the use of auctions and negotiated contracts.  As well as emissions, we broker traditional energy products, and ‘new’ energy, such as renewable energy, ethanol and biodiesel.  We advise funds on related product finance, introduce investors to projects, and structure forward sales to enable project developers to fund their investments.  We help ‘clean-tech’ technology developers to manage their intellectual property, to develop their licensing strategies, and to roll out their technologies through our global network. 

CantorCO2e is headquartered in London and San Francisco and has fourteen offices across four continents.  This global yet local presence across the world, together with the unique experience of our staff, enables us to provide a level of service that few can match.

For more information please visit www.cantorco2e.com.

About the State of Piauí

The State of Piauí is located in the Northeast region of Brazil and has about 3 million inhabitants. The Sate of Piauí has three types of biosystems, and it is an area of transition including the Northeastern semi-arid region, the pre-Amazon region and the cerrado. The State’s average GDP per capita is U$ 1,400 and the HDI is 0.673.

www.pi.gov.br (in Portuguese)

Media Contacts

Carolina Cunha                                  Paula Menna Barreto

CARE Brazil                                         State of Piaui

+55 11 32260085                                  +55 61 92120931

ccunha@br.care.org                              paulamb@fsb.com.br

Timo Kindred

CantorCO2e

+44 (0) 20 7894 7292

tkindred@cantorco2e.com