Unpacking Brazil’s Leadership in the Global Biofuels Arena: Brazilian Ethanol Diplomacy in Africa

Afionis, Stavros, Stringer, Lindsay C., Favretto, Nicola, Tomei, Julia and Buckeridge, Marcos S., (2016). Unpacking Brazil’s Leadership in the Global Biofuels Arena: Brazilian Ethanol Diplomacy in Africa. Global Environmental Politics, 16(3), 127-150

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  • Sub-type Journal article
    Author Afionis, Stavros
    Stringer, Lindsay C.
    Favretto, Nicola
    Tomei, Julia
    Buckeridge, Marcos S.
    Title Unpacking Brazil’s Leadership in the Global Biofuels Arena: Brazilian Ethanol Diplomacy in Africa
    Appearing in Global Environmental Politics
    Volume 16
    Issue No. 3
    Publication Date 2016-08-22
    Place of Publication Massachusetts
    Publisher Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press
    Start page 127
    End page 150
    Language eng
    Abstract Biofuels represent an opportunity for Brazil to exert global leadership by substantially scaling up the production, consumption, and international trade of bioethanol. Africa represents an ideal venue in which to do this, given its suitable agro-climatic conditions and extensive land area. Brazil has consequently sought to establish bilateral partnerships with African countries, as well as North-South-South trilateral partnerships involving the EU and US. However, empirically grounded assessments of how Brazil’s leadership aspirations have unfolded in practice through these partnerships are limited. In this article, we examine Brazil’s potential to exert global political leadership, by analyzing its policy-based, structural, and instrumental qualities in making bilateral and trilateral inroads regarding bioethanol production in Africa. Interviews in Brazil, Africa, and Europe suggest that both the bilateral and trilateral avenues have produced meager results. Lack of domestic strategy and vision, economic recession, and a fragmented alliance network have reduced Brazil’s capacity to achieve its ethanol diplomacy objectives.
    Copyright Holder Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Copyright Year 2016
    Copyright type Creative commons
    DOI 10.1162/GLEP_a_00369
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    Created: Fri, 25 Nov 2016, 00:30:14 JST by Anderson, Kelsey on behalf of UNU INWEH