The government of Brazil is destroying a large part of the Amazon rainforest to build a new road for the COP30 climate summit.
The four-lane highway is being constructed near the city of Belém. More than 50,000 people, including world leaders, will meet there in November to talk about climate change.
The state government says the highway is sustainable, but local people and environmentalists are angry. They say cutting down protected rainforest for a climate summit is hypocritical.
The Amazon rainforest is vital for the planet. It absorbs carbon, supports wildlife, and helps protect the Earth’s climate. But more than 13 kilometers of rainforest have been cleared to build the road.
Animals and biodiversity at risk
The road splits the forest into two parts. Wildlife experts are worried that this will stop animals from moving between areas. Professor Silvia Sardinha, a vet who works with injured wild animals, said it would be harder to release them back into the wild.
“From the moment of deforestation, there is a loss,” she told the news agency BBC. “We are going to lose an area to release these animals back into the wild, the natural environment of these species.”
“Land animals will no longer be able to cross to the other side too, reducing the areas where they can live and breed,” she added.
Even though the government promises features like animal crossings, solar lighting, and bike lanes, critics say the damage is already being done.
COP30 in the Amazon
Brazil’s president says the summit will be historic because it’s happening in the Amazon. The road, called Avenida Liberdade, is one of 30 projects the state is working on to prepare for COP30.
New hotels, a bigger airport, and a large city park are also under construction.
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