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Amazon Rainforest Cleared for Highway Ahead of COP30 Climate Summit

Construction of a four-lane road through protected rainforest in Brazil raises environmental and Indigenous rights concerns as Belém prepares to host the UN climate conference.

Forest lines the Combu creek, on Combu Island on the banks of the Guama River, near the city of Belem, Para state, Brazil, Aug. 6, 2023.
Image
Officials from Para State, northern Brazil, inspect a deforested area in the Amazon rain forest during surveillance in the municipality of Pacaja, 620 km from the capital Belem, on September 22, 2021. - World leaders reunited in Glasgow for the COP26 on November 2, 2021 issued a multibillion-dollar pledge to end deforestation by 2030, a promise met with scepticism by environmental groups who say more urgent action is needed to save the planet's lungs. (Photo by EVARISTO SA / AFP) (Photo by EVARISTO SA/AFP via Getty Images)

Overview

  • Brazil is constructing an 8.3-mile highway through the protected Amazon rainforest to accommodate over 50,000 attendees of the COP30 climate summit in Belém this November.
  • Environmentalists warn the highway could accelerate deforestation, disrupt ecosystems, and harm wildlife by fragmenting habitats and reducing biodiversity.
  • Local communities near the highway report economic losses, such as the destruction of açaí berry trees, and fear displacement due to future development projects.
  • The highway, part of broader infrastructure upgrades, includes solar lighting and bike lanes but has been criticized for contradicting the summit's climate goals.
  • Indigenous groups and conservationists highlight the broader risks of deforestation, including the displacement of uncontacted tribes and the potential tipping point for the Amazon ecosystem.