Deforestation for COP30: Highway Construction Sparks Controversy in Amazon

Tue Oct 21 2025 06:08:44 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Construction of a new highway for the COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, is causing significant environmental concerns as it leads to vast deforestation in the Amazon rainforest.

A new four-lane highway, intended to facilitate access for the COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, has sparked outrage among locals and conservationists due to the deforestation it causes. Despite government assurances of sustainable design, critics argue that the construction undermines the summit's climate objectives, threatening local wildlife and communities.

The construction of a new four-lane highway through the Amazon rainforest for the upcoming COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, is raising alarms among environmentalists and local residents. Designed to accommodate over 50,000 attendees, including global leaders, the road project has led to the clearing of tens of thousands of acres of protected rainforest, with critics arguing that this deforestation contradicts the very essence of a climate summit.

The state government of Pará has advertised the highway as "sustainable," claiming it will aid local traffic. However, many locals, like Claudio Verequete, a resident near the construction site, have seen their livelihoods threatened as the land where açaí berries once grew has been devastated. Verequete expressed concerns about future development and further deforestation, emphasizing the fears of being forced from their homes as accessibility increases for commercial interests.

This new road leaves fragmented ecosystems behind, with scientists cautioning that such disruption could impede wildlife movement, vital for maintaining biodiversity. Prof. Silvia Sardinha, an animal vet, highlighted the challenges wildlife faces as they become unable to traverse between fragmented habitats, greatly impacting rehabilitation efforts of injured animals.

Despite the intention to highlight Amazon conservation at COP30, locals feel their voices are not being adequately represented. Government officials are promoting infrastructure improvements, including new hotels and updated airport facilities, aiming to create a lasting legacy for both the summit and the population. However, some community members and business owners are hopeful that the development will lead to long-term benefits, despite acknowledging the environmental costs of such undertakings.

With critics increasing their scrutiny of whether the influx of global leaders and the necessary infrastructure requirements for hosting the summit are paradoxically undermining climate goals, COP30's legacy remains a contentious topic.