Amazon Rainforest Sacrificed for COP30 Climate Summit Preparations

In the lead-up to the COP30 climate summit in November 2025, the Brazilian government is constructing a new 6-lane highway through the protected Amazon rainforest. The 8-mile motorway, known as Avenida Liberdade, is currently 70% complete and is designed to ease congestion into the northern city of Belém, where the conference will be held.

However, the project has faced fierce backlash from conservationists and local residents. The highway cuts through a designated protected area that is home to around 800 species of plants and fungi. Locals have reported animals being run over, a decline in açaí and peach palm production, and concerns about further real estate development.

Claudio Verequete, a resident living near the highway, says the construction has "destroyed everything" and that his family's harvest has been cut down, leaving them without income. He fears the road will spur more deforestation, with the Amazon rainforest already facing significant environmental challenges, including devastating fires and record low river levels.

Despite the concerns, the Brazilian government has defended the project, with the state infrastructure secretary describing it as a "sustainable highway" and a necessary "mobility intervention" to prepare for the COP30 summit. However, critics argue the deforestation contradicts the very purpose of the climate conference.