Sustainable Brazil aims to be the central axis of articulation on policies focused on sustainable innovation for every ministry working the issue. So says the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Marco Antônio Raupp, who launched the program on Tuesday (June 19), with the president of the Study and Project Finance Program (FINEP / MCTI), Glauco Arbix, at the FINEP space at Rio+20, on Pier Mauá. After the launch, Raupp welcomed the Minister of Planning, Budget and Management, Miriam Belchior, at the MCTI's Warehouse 4.

Raupp said R$ 2 billion initiative - which will be run by FINEP - shows how committed Brazil is to science, technology and innovation, promoting new technology and innovative mechanisms for sustainable growth.

"It is in this spirit that we launch, here, under the leadership of our agency, FINEP, Sustainable Brazil," he said. "The program will support the development of products, processes and services that combine innovation with social, environmental and economic sustainability, as well as training skilled human resources through robust and integrated actions. This combination, this action for industrial, productive and knowledge-generation structures, is essential to the implementation of our strategy," he said.

Raupp noted as one of the central points of the program the ability to promote innovation in companies, whether large or small, consolidated with information. He also stressed that Sustainable Brazil will encourage the expansion of scientific knowledge and he assured listeners that the country can generate sustainable technology of a high added value.

New procedures

"We think science and technology have a key role in working on and changing these scientific procedures," he said. "We want to change the way production is done, which needs a lot of new knowledge and new technologies applied to solving problems. New paths are opening up towards growth, development with inclusion and environmental conservation. We are operating at an international standard, fulfilling our commitments," he said.

The first action under the program will be to support the preparation for the sale of hybrid electric and ethanol powertrains for urban public transport vehicles, through public selection. "The first invitation is scheduled for early August," said the president of FINEP, Glauco Arbix, who detailed the program for at the launch.