In Brazil, a Highway Being Built Through the Amazon Rainforest for the Upcoming COP30 on Climate

According to the BBC, a four-lane highway is under construction in Belém. The city is set to host negotiators from around the world during COP30 in November.

Excavators, Cut Trees, and Stripped Land in the Amazon: Construction of a Highway for COP30 in Brazil

According to the BBC, a four-lane highway is being built in Belém, Brazil, through the heart of the Amazon rainforest. This 13 km-long road aims to « ease traffic flow in the city » ahead of COP30, the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference, where tens of thousands of participants are expected from November 10-21.

Authorities in the region defend the « sustainability » of the project, named « Avenue of Liberty. » On its website, the State of Pará, where Belém is located, mentions features such as « 34 wildlife crossings to ensure the safety of animals in the area » and fences to « protect indigenous vegetation, preserve the surrounding ecosystem, and prevent access to regions adjacent to the highway. » They emphasize that the project is « essential for modernizing the region’s road network. »

However, the construction has raised concerns among local residents. One local told the BBC, « Everything has been destroyed. Our harvests have been reduced. We no longer have the income to support our families. » Many fear the environmental impact of the highway, especially considering that forests are vital ecosystems for biodiversity and carbon sequestration. The news has left several experts in disbelief, such as a British climatologist on Bluesky and a German researcher on LinkedIn, particularly since « reducing greenhouse gas emissions » is a key goal of COP30.

The COP30 will focus on the Amazon, a vital region for global climate regulation, which is facing increasing threats. The area destroyed by fires in Brazil surged by 79% in 2024, reaching 30.8 million hectares—more than the size of Italy—according to the MapBiomas monitoring platform. The Amazon has already suffered heavily, with 17.9 million hectares destroyed, accounting for 58% of the total.

Source: francetvinfo