The Amazon Rainforest is home to millions of insect, plant, bird, and other species—many of which science has yet to identify—making it the most diverse and abundant biological reservoir on Earth. But there is something has to change. But there is something that will change.
In anticipation of the COP30 climate meeting in Belém, Brazil, tens of thousands of acres of protected Amazon rainforest are being traversed by a new four-lane highway. The idea, which was designed to reduce traffic for the event, which is expected to draw over 50,000 people, including international leaders, has caused controversy. Many residents and environmentalists contend that the environmental cost runs counter to the entire goal of a climate summit, even as the state administration emphasizes its “sustainable” features.
The Amazon, which is essential for biodiversity and carbon absorption, is being destroyed to provide space for the roadway. In sharp contrast to the cleared ground that stretches more than 13 km (8 miles) toward Belém, the partially finished road is flanked by towering rainforest. Logs, the remains of the forest that formerly covered the area, are piled high.
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Heavy equipment and excavators are in action, paving over wetlands and slicing through a protected area. Avenida Liberdade, the expressway that the Pará state administration had first planned in 2012, was frequently put on hold because of environmental concerns. This contentious route is one of several infrastructure projects that have been resurrected or recently approved in anticipation of the COP meeting.
Source : BBC
