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COP30 Opens in Belém With Brazil's Tropical Forest Fund Under Scrutiny

Brazil touts a pay‑and‑penalty forest fund to answer a widening climate finance gap.

Overview

  • Brazil launched the 'Tropical Forests Forever' plan to pay $4 per hectare for protection and levy $140 per hectare for clearing, with satellite verification and a goal to disburse about $4 billion annually.
  • UN Secretary‑General António Guterres warned the world is tracking toward more than 2°C of warming as global emissions continue to rise.
  • Host credibility faces criticism over a new rainforest highway and fresh Petrobras drilling licenses near the Amazon, which a climate network labeled a sabotage of the summit.
  • Organizers expect roughly 50,000 attendees, have chartered two cruise ships for lodging, and report about €650 million in federal upgrades to prepare Belém.
  • Geopolitical headwinds include low‑level U.S. participation under President Donald Trump and strong civil‑society pressure, with roughly 3,000 Indigenous delegates and street protests planned for mid‑conference.