Tens of thousands of acres of Amazon rainforest are being cleared for a new highway in Belem, Brazil, ahead of the COP30 climate summit. While the government promotes the project as a sustainable effort to ease traffic for the summit, locals and environmentalists criticize the deforestation, emphasizing the irony of destroying rainforest to discuss climate change. Concerns about financial aid and the impact on livelihoods persist.
A vast area of the Amazon rainforest is being cleared to construct a new four-lane highway in Belem, Brazil, in preparation for the upcoming COP30 climate summit. This initiative aims to address anticipated traffic congestion as over 50,000 delegates are expected to attend this significant environmental conference scheduled for November. Conservationists and local residents express outrage over the deforestation, criticizing the irony of destroying rainforest to facilitate discussions on climate change.
Named Avenida Liberdade or ‘Avenue of Liberty,’ the eight-mile highway will connect to the city hosting the climate summit. Despite presenting the project as “sustainable”, the Brazilian government’s decision to clear protected forest areas has met with severe criticism from conservationists and residents. The current clearing is part of efforts to boost infrastructure in light of the world’s attention on the event, which Brazilian President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva declared as a “COP in the Amazon.”
Although the project faced various environmental concerns leading to delays, recent plans have revived infrastructure projects throughout the city. Adler Silveira, the secretary for the state government, identified the highway as part of a larger initiative to modernize Belem, emphasizing features such as wildlife crossings, bike lanes, and solar lighting. Furthermore, investments of over $81 million are aimed at enlarging the airport and improving facilities for the anticipated influx of visitors.
However, local resident Claudio Verequete has expressed distress regarding the deforestation’s impact on his livelihood, revealing that crucial acai berry harvesting areas have been destroyed without any compensation or support from the state government. He currently relies on personal savings, reflecting the wider discontent regarding the government’s handling of the situation.
In conclusion, the construction of the Avenida Liberdade in Belem for the COP30 climate summit highlights the contradictory nature of environmental progress. Extensive deforestation aimed at facilitating a climate discussion raises concerns among locals and conservationists who decry the lack of compensation and the prioritization of infrastructure over ecological preservation. The consequences for livelihoods and the integrity of the Amazon continue to evoke significant public outcry.
Original Source: www.indiatoday.in
