Minister of the Year

Wellington Moreira Franco

Moreira Franco has had a long, varied and distinguished career spanning decades in Brazilian politics and academia, starting out as a sociology professor at the Federal Fluminense University before making the move into politics as the Mayor of Niterói in 1977. In his position as the Minister of Mines and Energy, he has highlighted the importance of reliable and renewable energy to spur social justice. He is a vocal supporter of hydropower and green energy, which promises greater energy security across Brazil's electricity system. Under the Temer government, in the last year, solar PV has doubled in capacity to 2GW and today Brazil can boast an energy mix with a 40pc renewables share. Moreira