Integrating Sustainability into Core Strategy: Motiva on Climate Resilience, Decarbonisation and Sector-wide Collaboration

In this interview with the World Climate Foundation, Miguel Setas, the CEO of Motiva, outlines how sustainability has become a central strategic pillar for the organization, shaping competitiveness, risk management and long-term investment.  

Motiva has developed nearly 5,000 climate resilience programs covering each of the company’s assets, primarily toll roads. These plans are designed to mitigate climate-related disruptions and reflect Motiva’s view that the climate emergency is now a core business concern. Both green infrastructure and grey infrastructure solutions are being deployed to strengthen resilience across the entire portfolio. 

The company has committed to becoming carbon neutral for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2035. A key part of this effort is transitioning every asset to renewable energy. Their trains, among the company’s most energy-intensive operations, are already powered entirely by renewable electricity. 

Looking beyond their own operations, Setas emphasises that sustainability requires collaboration across the entire value chain. Motiva helped lead the creation of the Coalition for Decarbonisation of Transport, involving more than 120 companies and associations across rail, ports, waterways, highways, toll roads and airports.  

“Sustainability is an ‘all hands on deck’ challenge bringing together private sector actors, civil society and public authorities.”

With transport responsible for 11% of Brazil’s emissions, the collective goal is to prevent the country’s carbon intensity from rising to levels seen in developed markets and to ensure the sector becomes an active contributor to decarbonisation. 

The interview was recorded at the World Climate Summit & The Investment COP 2025 in Belém. 

Watch the full conversation: 

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Miguel Setas

President, Motiva

Miguel Setas holds a degree in Physics and a Master’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering, with over 25 years of leadership experience in the energy and infrastructure sectors — including oil, gas, electricity, and railways. Thirteen of those years were spent in Brazil, where he served as CEO of EDP for seven years. He later became Chairman of the Board of the company and a member of the parent company’s Board of Directors in Europe. Since 2023, he has been the President of Motiva, Brazil’s largest mobility infrastructure company.