Deforestation concerns grow as Brazil prepares for climate summit

Designed to ease traffic for more than 50,000 attendees expected in November, including world leaders, the project has drawn criticism from conservationists and local communities over its environmental impact.

A road through the rainforest

The Amazon rainforest plays a crucial role in regulating the global climate, absorbing vast amounts of carbon and supporting unparalleled biodiversity.

However, the ongoing deforestation caused by infrastructure projects like this highway contradicts the very purpose of the COP30 summit.

The partially built road, known as Avenida Liberdade, stretches over 13km (8 miles) through the rainforest into Belém.

Heavy machinery is clearing land and paving over wetlands, leaving piles of logs as stark reminders of the once-dense forest.

Government justification and infrastructure expansion

Originally proposed in 2012 but repeatedly shelved due to environmental concerns, the highway has now been revived alongside several other infrastructure projects tied to COP30.

Government officials defended the project as a 'sustainable highway' and an 'important mobility intervention'.

The government highlights features such as wildlife crossings, bike lanes, and solar lighting to mitigate its environmental impact.

Wildlife at risk

Despite claims of sustainability, environmental experts warn that the highway could have severe consequences for local wildlife.

Roads act as barriers to animal populations, isolating habitats, reducing genetic diversity, and increasing the risk of roadkill.

In Brazil, road collisions already result in an estimated 475 million wild animal deaths per year. Highways fragment ecosystems, limiting animals’ ability to move, breed, and find food.

Without effective mitigation measures, species could face population decline and even local extinctions.

World Animal Protection's External Affairs Manager, Natália Figueiredo, emphasizes the urgency of action.

It is necessary to ensure that highways are adapted and prepared to include biodiversity protection.

"In the United States, for example, management of the challenge of wildlife roadkill is decentralized, with each state responsible for implementing mitigation measures, which has reduced the number of cases by up to 90% through infrastructure improvements.

"This includes specially designed overpasses and underpasses so that animals can cross roads without encountering traffic.

"These projects have also helped to reconnect essential habitat for wildlife migrations and annual and seasonal movements. 

"Similar models can be replicated in Brazil.”

Conservationists argue that COP30 should set an example for sustainable development rather than contribute to deforestation and habitat destruction. 

As Brazil prepares to host one of the most important climate conferences in the world, the impact of its infrastructure choices will be under intense scrutiny.

Stronger environmental policies are critical to ensuring that development does not come at the cost of the Amazon's ecosystems.

This is an opportunity for Brazil to demonstrate true leadership in conservation while balancing necessary infrastructure development with the protection of one of the planet’s most vital ecosystems.