Land of the Falls and home to the world’s largest energy producer—the Itaipu Binacional—the city will be the only non-capital city in Brazil to host a meeting of the 20 largest economies in the world
From September 30 to October 4, Foz do Iguaçu (PR) will host the G20 Energy Transitions Working Group Ministerial Meeting, which brings together the 20 largest economies in the world, along with invited guests. The meeting is organized by the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE), with support from Itaipu Binacional, which is bringing the event to the city. Foz is the only non-capital city to host a meeting of the group.
More than a thousand people from Brazil and other countries are expected to attend, including various authorities. In addition to the ministerial meetings and parallel events, Foz will also host the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) and Mission Innovation (MI) meetings, two permanent forums for discussion on energy transition.
What is the G20?
The G20 is the main forum for international economic cooperation and plays an important role in defining and reinforcing global architecture and governance in all major economic issues. It has annual rotating presidencies. Brazil holds the presidency from December 1, 2023 to November 30, 2024. Initially, the G20 focused primarily on general macroeconomic issues, but later on expanded its agenda to include issues such as trade, sustainable development, health, agriculture, energy, environment, climate change and combating corruption.
The meeting in Foz do Iguaçu, for example, will be focused on the question of energy transition, one of the flags raised by the Brazilian presidency in the forum. Itaipu Binacional, as one of the world’s references on the topic, will take part in the debates of this event.
The G20 is composed of 19 countries (South Africa, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, South Korea, the United States, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Russia, and Turkey) and two regional organizations: African Union and the European Union. G20 members account for about 85% of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), over 75% of global trade, and approximately two-thirds of the world’s population.
In total, over 100 meetings will have taken place throughout the year in various cities across the country. The conclusion of this series of meetings will be the G20 summit, which will occur in November in Rio de Janeiro and will be attended by the heads of state or government of the member countries.
How do the G20 trails work?
The G20 has a slightly different form of organization in relation to other traditional international organizations, being divided into two parallel groups of activities, which nonetheless talk to each other: The Sherpas Track and the Finance Track. During the Brazilian presidency, both parties have approached each other and worked together, something unprecedented since the beginning of the G20 meetings.
On both sides there are thematic working groups (TWGs) that meet regularly. The TWGs are formed by representatives of two governments, two country-members, as well as two countries and international organizations invited. The Energy Transition TWG that meets in Foz do Iguaçu, for example, is linked to the Sherpas Track. More information about the TWGs and how their tasks can be found on the G20 site (www.g20.org).
Itaipu and the G20
Itaipu is directly connected to the issues discussed by the G20. ‘As a binational company, we are fully aligned with the G20 agenda, as our government has been working on proactive measures to ensure public policies focused on social and environmental issues,’ emphasizes the Brazilian General Director, Enio Verri. According to him, this is why Foz do Iguaçu, home to the plant on the Brazilian side, could not be left out of an event of this magnitude.
Recently, with the Itaipu More than Energy Program, Itaipu expanded its area of influence, which now covers all 399 municipalities in Paraná State and 35 in Mato Grosso do Sul State, totaling an area of approximately 200,000 km² and benefiting around 11 million people.
‘All of Itaipu’s actions in this territory are carried out through cooperation. Itaipu is seeking greater coordination within the United Nations system, through partnerships with international organizations, such as the Global Sustainable Solutions Network on Water and Energy, which we established with UNDESA, or through UN initiatives to engage organizations like the Global Compact, always coordinated with the Federal Government,’ explains Ligia Leite Soares, head of Itaipu’s office in Brasília.
