Controversy Rises as Amazon Rainforest Faces Deforestation for COP30 Road Project

As Brazil gears up for the COP30 climate summit, the construction of a highway through the protected Amazon rainforest has raised significant concerns regarding environmental sustainability, with local communities fearing loss of livelihood and habitat destruction.

In a controversial move, the Brazilian state government is constructing a four-lane highway through vast tracts of protected Amazon rainforest, aimed at facilitating access for the COP30 climate summit set to take place in Belém this November. While officials claim the road will alleviate traffic for the influx of over 50,000 delegates, including world leaders, environmentalists and local residents express alarm over the detrimental ecological impact of the project.

The highway, stretching over 13 kilometers (8 miles) into the forest, has left a wake of devastation as massive machinery clears vegetation, paving wetlands to prepare the roadbed. Claudio Verequete, a local resident who once relied on the açaí harvest from the now-cut trees, describes the destruction, lamenting the loss of his income and expressing anxiety over the potential for increased future deforestation. "Where are we going to go?" he asks, voicing the plight of those left disconnected from the benefits the highway purportedly offers.

Scientists warn that the road will fragment the ecosystem, impeding wildlife movement and threatening biodiversity. Professor Silvia Sardinha, a wildlife veterinarian, emphasizes that the area previously utilized for rehabilitating injured animals will be compromised by the highway's proximity, while land animals will struggle to cross the thoroughfare, reducing viable habitats.

Despite promises of a “sustainable highway,” state infrastructure secretary Adler Silveira acknowledges this project is part of a broader initiative to modernize Belém in preparation for the summit. While new infrastructure is emerging, critics argue that locals are marginalized in the discussions happening at “very high levels” and are concerned about the long-term implications of increased accessibility for commercial ventures.

In defense of the developments, some local business owners see potential benefits. "The city is being improved," notes Dalci Cardoso da Silva, a market vendor, highlighting the hope that increased traffic might boost commerce in Belém. Meanwhile, João Alexandre Trindade da Silva, who markets traditional herbal remedies, promotes the optimism that outcomes from COP30 discussions will lead to tangible environmental actions benefiting future generations.

As COP30 approaches, scrutiny mounts over the sustainability of the climate summit itself, raising critical questions about the implications of hosting thousands of delegates and the infrastructure needed to support them in the fight against climate change.