A four-lane highway road is being constructed through tens of thousands of acres of protected Amazon rainforest to accommodate the COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil. The project aims to ease traffic for the event, which will bring over 50,000 attendees, including world leaders, in November.
While the state government promotes the highway’s “sustainable” features, many locals and environmentalists are alarmed by the ecological damage. The Amazon is crucial for carbon absorption and biodiversity, making the deforestation caused by the project seem contradictory to the summit’s environmental goals.
The partially built road cuts through 13 km (8 miles) of rainforest, with logs piled on cleared land and heavy machinery paving over wetlands. Residents like Claudio Verequete, who relied on açaí berry harvesting, have lost their livelihoods without compensation. He fears the road will encourage further deforestation and commercial development, forcing his community out.
Scientists warn that the highway will fragment the ecosystem, restricting wildlife movement. Wildlife vet Prof. Silvia Sardinha, who rehabilitates injured animals, worries the road will reduce the space available for their release and disrupt habitats.
The Brazilian president describes COP30 as a landmark summit focused on the Amazon itself. However, critics argue that while high-level discussions take place, local communities are being ignored.
The highway, known as Avenida Liberdade, was proposed in 2012 but repeatedly shelved due to environmental concerns. Now, numerous infrastructure projects, including roads, are being revived for the summit. The state’s infrastructure secretary, Adler Silveira, defends the highway as a necessary “mobility intervention,” highlighting planned wildlife crossings, bike lanes, and solar lighting.
Other projects include new hotels, port renovations for cruise ships, a $81 million airport expansion, and a 500,000 sq-m park with public facilities. While officials frame these developments as a legacy for the city, many question the cost to the Amazon’s fragile ecosystem.
