About the Program
The Decarbonization Route is an initiative of the Government of Minas Gerais (Brazil), led by Invest Minas, designed to drive private investments in the low-carbon economy.
By engaging key stakeholders across government and industry, the program is building a strategic roadmap to decarbonize the sectors most relevant for greenhouse gas emissions. This effort supports the targets in Minas Gerais’ Climate Action Plan (PLAC‑MG) and reinforces the state’s commitment to the global Race to Zero campaign.
To do this, the program will examine key technological pathways—ranking initiatives by cost‑effectiveness, identifying financing options, and recommending the design or re-design of public policies—across four major sectors: Transportation, Energy, Industry, and AFOLU (agriculture, forestry, and land use).
PROJECT PHASES:
3. Investment Opportunities
• Developing MAC curves for the four major sectors.
• Building a portfolio of opportunities.
• Identifying financing sources.
1. Sector Diagnosis
• Mapping and engaging stakeholders.
• Benchmarking technologies, analyzing barriers and opportunities.
• Reviewing GHG inventories and other guiding documents.
4. Public Policy
• Mapping the regulatory and policy framework.
• Consulting stakeholders on barriers to private investment.
• (Re)design of public policies.
2. Scenario Assessment
• Analyzing and consolidating decarbonization targets.
• Evaluating technological pathways.
• Outlining decarbonization scenarios.
5. Outreach
• Sharing the investment opportunities portfolio.
• Presenting value propositions.
• Communicating directly to the program’s target audience.
Progress so far:
Race to Zero is a UN-backed global campaign that brings together companies, cities, states, financial institutions, universities, and other stakeholders to advance a net‑zero future.
On June 9, 2021, Minas Gerais became the first state in Brazil and Latin America to join Race to Zero, reaffirming its leadership in environmental stewardship.
The state has already completed all stages of the global Race to Zero process and is now pursuing an interim goal of cutting emissions by 30% by 2030.
Circular Economy
The state hosts major projects to recover high‑value metals from mining waste and to produce fertilizers from steel slag.
Solar Energy
Minas Gerais’ power grid is 96.8% renewable, compared with 86.8% nationally and 73.6% in the Southeast.
Biofuels
The state is one of Brazil’s largest producers of ethanol and biogas and is home to research centers dedicated to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Lithium Valley
Minas Gerais accounts for 100% of Brazil’s lithium production—a critical mineral for the energy transition.
Green Hydrogen
The state hosts manufacturing of electrolyzers and reformers used to produce low‑carbon hydrogen.
Planted Forests
The state has the largest area of planted forests in Brazil—over 22% of the national total, covering more than 2 million hectares.
Progress so far:
*Only avaiable in portuguese.
Awards and recognition
In 2025, the Decarbonization Route received the Investment Excellence Award from the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA), in the Voice of Investors category.
The selection was made by an international jury comprising WAIPA, the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, UNIDO, UNCTAD, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the International Trade Centre (ITC).
The award highlights how the program fosters a favorable climate for sustainable investment by continuously listening to and coordinating with key stakeholders: government, the productive sector, and civil society. This collaboration helps shape public policies that drive the energy transition and low-carbon growth in Minas Gerais.
This recognition reaffirms Minas Gerais’s commitment to building a more competitive, innovative economy aligned with global sustainability agendas.
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