A four-lane highway is being constructed in Belém, Brazil, to facilitate the COP30 climate summit, resulting in the clearing of extensive Amazon rainforest areas. The project has sparked outrage among conservationists and local residents due to the irony of deforestation for a climate-focused event. Authorities assert the highway’s sustainable features, while many locals face economic hardship without compensation.
The Brazilian government is currently clearing vast areas of the Amazon rainforest to construct a new four-lane highway in Belém, intended to facilitate access for the upcoming COP30 climate summit in November. This highway, labeled Avenida Liberdade or ‘Avenue of Liberty’, spans eight miles and aims to alleviate anticipated traffic congestion for over 50,000 expected attendees. However, the project has raised significant alarm among conservationists and local residents due to the extensive deforestation involved.
This initiative has generated considerable irony as it coincides with a global climate summit focused on addressing environmental preservation. Despite the extensive clearing of a protected rainforest, state officials have articulated the highway’s purported sustainable design, which incorporates features such as wildlife crossings and bike lanes. As construction progresses, plentiful logs are accumulating along the cleared, 13-kilometer stretch of the highway.
The summit is heralded as a significant event, with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva emphasizing that it would represent a “COP in the Amazon,” directly addressing climate action. This highway project, alongside numerous other infrastructure initiatives, has been revived or introduced in preparation for the summit, responding to previous suspensions due to environmental objections.
Adler Silveira, the state’s secretary, categorized the highway as part of a broader modernization effort, integrating improvements such as solar lighting and enhanced hotel capacities for visitors. Moreover, the Brazilian government has allocated over $81 million for airport capacity expansion from 7 million to 14 million passengers, reinforcing its commitment to accommodating the influx of attendees.
Local resident Claudio Verequete expressed his distress over the deforestation impact on his livelihood, particularly regarding his previous ability to harvest acai berries. He reported a lack of compensation from the state government and is currently dependent on his savings to sustain himself.
The construction of the highway for the COP30 climate summit in Brazil illustrates a compelling contradiction in environmental policy. While the project is framed as an essential infrastructure improvement, the substantial deforestation raises critical concerns among locals and environmental advocates. The expected influx of attendees demands significant preparations, but the associated ecological consequences challenge the sustainability narrative put forth by authorities.
Original Source: www.indiatoday.in
