Brazil

Brazil plays a key role as an important player in global climate action and environmental protection. The Amazon rainforest in particular is indispensable for the conservation of global biodiversity and for stabilising the global climate. Germany and Brazil are working together closely to advance climate change mitigation, sustainable development and a socially just transition.

Brazil's gross national product, which was about 2.18 trillion US dollars in 2024 (expressed in current US dollars), makes it one of the world's largest economies. The country has the greatest wealth of biodiversity anywhere in the world, the biggest remaining area of rainforest and also, with the Amazon, the largest river by discharge volume.

In international peace and security policy, in world trade, and above all in global forest conservation and climate action, Brazil plays an important role. Brazil is actively involved in the BRICS association of countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and in the G20. In 2024, Brazil had the G20 Presidency. In 2025, it hosted the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) in Belém in the Amazon region.

German development cooperation with Brazil

Brazil is one of the “global partner countries” of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) – in view of both its political importance and its key role for the protection of the global climate, the environment, and biodiversity. The two countries' cooperation for sustainable development is being accompanied by close political dialogue.

The shared long-term goal of the cooperation programme is to protect global goods and resources in line with the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In keeping with the principle of leaving no one behind, disadvantaged population groups and the protection of human rights – especially the rights of Indigenous Peoples and traditional communities – are a particular focus of German activities. Balancing environmental, social and economic interests is one of the most important goals of German-Brazilian cooperation for sustainable development.

In view of the country's own capacities, the main instrument on which German development cooperation with Brazil relies – apart from technical assistance and grants for Brazilian programmes and funds – is reduced-interest loans for measures to foster development. At the government negotiations in November 2023, Germany pledged to make available a total of up to 561 million euros in funding for Brazil. This commitment consisted of 523.5 million euros for Financial Cooperation and 37.5 million euros for Technical Cooperation.

In December 2023, Brazil and Germany deepened their cooperation by signing their Partnership for a Socially Just and Ecological Transformation, which encompasses multiple ministries. The signing ceremony took place during the intergovernmental consultations at the level of heads of state and government. The Partnership supports the protection and sustainable use of natural resources and ecosystems, the expansion of renewable energy generation, and sustainable economic and urban development.

German-Brazilian cooperation focuses on the following core areas and areas of intervention:

Core area “Conserving nature and natural resources, protecting life on Earth”
Areas of intervention: forests, biodiversity
Core area “Climate and energy, just transition”
Areas of intervention: renewable energy and energy efficiency, sustainable urban development
Core area “Sustainable economic development, training and employment”
Areas of intervention: private sector and financial sector development, technical and vocational education and training

Bild eines Sumpfgebietes in Brasilien mit Seerosen und Bäumen.

Covering an area of just under five million square kilometres, Brazil's tropical forests make up about 12 per cent of the world's total forest area. The BMZ has been providing various kinds of support for many years aimed at assisting the Brazilian government in protecting the tropical rainforest and using it in a responsible way. The regional focus of these activities is on the Amazon region.

An aerial photograph of Rio de Janeiro at dusk.

Brazil's climate and geography have endowed it with enormous energy resources and huge potential for the development of renewable energy. The share of renewable energy is about 47 per cent in final energy consumption. This means that Brazil is already a world leader in renewable energy. Yet high investment will be needed in the coming years to further increase the share of renewable energy while demand is rising, and to secure reliable energy supplies.

Ein Mitarbeiter bei der Copaiba-Öl- Herstellung.

The Brazilian government is working to re-industrialise the country and has adopted an Ecological Transformation Plan with the goal of achieving structural change in the economy and the environment. The priorities of the Brazilian government are to foster job creation and green financial system development.

Triangular cooperation – new forms of cooperation

Symbolic image: bridge in Hanoi, Vietnam

Brazil is an important partner for the BMZ when it comes to supporting joint projects in third countries; this is known as triangular cooperation. This type of programme focuses on facilitating exchange between countries that have different levels of development. For instance, Germany and Brazil are jointly supporting programmes in Latin America and the Caribbean – in fields such as economic development and employment, renewable energy, and vocational training.