BELEM, Brazil, March 14 (Reuters) - The Brazilian state, which is set to host the United Nations climate summit this year, has refuted any link between a new roadway cutting through a protected area of the Brazilian rainforest and the upcoming COP30 summit that will bring together world leaders in November.
Para's state government clarified that construction of the divided four-lane highway, named Avenida Liberdade, commenced in 2020 prior to Belem, the state capital, being designated as the summit host.
The endeavor, which traces the route of an existing power line through a conservation area south of the city, has not been financially supported by Brazil's federal funding allocated for the city's preparations for COP30, as confirmed by both the state and federal governments.
Nevertheless, there are locals who associate the recent advancements made on the long-debated highway with the forthcoming UN summit, during which tens of thousands of delegates are anticipated to congregate in the Amazonian city, home to a population of 1.3 million.
Ana Claudia Cardoso, an urban studies professor at the Federal University of Para, remarked, "There's been talk about that project for over 20 years, but there was a lot of resistance. The necessity to ready the city for a mega-event ultimately seems to provide the required rationale."
BBC disclosed this week that a state infrastructure secretary had included the new road in a list of 30 projects aimed at preparing the city for COP30. The state government clarified that the mentioned report does not align with the actual circumstances. Reuters was unable to contact the official mentioned in the report.