Economic complexity and international trade: A case study on the State of Goiás (2010-2019)

This paper aims to explore the relationship between economic complexity and the productive structure of Goiás, Brazil, particularly in the context of environmental issues within international trade agreements. To this end, the export agenda of Goiás was analysed using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index to assess the concentration of exports by partners and products. Through the collection of statistical data on the Goiás economy for the calculation of concentration indicators, it is revealed that Goiás’ production structure is concentrated in primary products and mining and it has just a few trade partners, exacerbating its vulnerability to evolving environmental challenges and international regulations. This scenario demands a transition towards low-carbon practices and more sustainable technologies while preserving native vegetation and its ecosystem services. For large commodity producers like Goiás, this necessitates continuous diversification and sophistication of the productive structure to enhance economic complexity.