Brazil prepares to host the Conference of the Parties (COP30), a global meeting where nations’ actions against climate change are measured to try to keep up with the Paris Agreement. The goal is to limit global warming as much as possible. However, an eight-mile stretch of the Amazon Rainforest was cut down to make way for a four-way highway. The irony is that the highway is thought to be specifically for the COP30 meeting to make it more accessible to those attending the climate-based global meeting, although these claims have been denied.
Avenida Liberdade
Although it has been denied, the Avenida Liberdade Highway’s main purpose is most likely to alleviate traffic as 50,000 people travel to meet at the COP30 summit. Officials have claimed that they have kept wildlife in mind, creating crossings for animals and using solar lighting. However, many conservationists see the irony in the situation, as part of an essential ecosystem was destroyed in the process.
Affecting More Than Wildlife
It seems that the highway’s construction has affected more than just local wildlife, with residents stating that their livelihoods were also destroyed for the highway’s construction. One resident’s harvest has been cut down, which means they have no means of income to support themselves and their family.
Wildlife Fragmentation
Highways have a huge impact on local ecosystems, with them splitting apart habitats and isolating groups of animals. University professor Silvia Sardinha commented, “From the moment of deforestation, there is a loss. We are going to lose an area to release these animals back into the wild.”
Claims of Sustainability
The government has defended the construction of the highway, stating that it is a huge upgrade for mobility and has sustainable aspects like bike lanes and solar lighting. Many argue that these sustainable aspects do not outweigh the deforestation that has taken place on the highway.
A Paradox
The highway being built is undermining the credibility of the COP meeting. It is a well-known fact that roads accelerate deforestation, with over 90% of Amazon land loss starting near where roads have been paved through. President Lula da Silva said that the COP30 is in the Amazon, not about it.”
Greenwashing
The issues brought up with the highway are only part of a wider trend in greenwashing. Many companies and government entities boast about “sustainability” while causing harm to the environment, prioritizing optics over some kind of systematic change.
Other Examples
There are many other examples of irony amidst “green” and “sustainable” products and practices. Electronic Vehicles (EVs) do reduce emissions that petrol-powered cars would emit, but they are still charged off of a grid powered by fossil fuels, which means there is still a carbon impact.
Masking Exploitation
Green branding is often masking exploitation by corporations. Some companies use illegally logged timber, while others have tried climate gaslighting campaigns while hiding what their carbon footprint often is.
The Importance Of The Amazon
The Amazon Rainforest plays an enormous part in carbon storage, absorbing more than 2.2 billion metric tons of CO2 every year. Deforestation releases this stored carbon into the atmosphere, accelerating global warming. This also reduces the future capability of the Amazon at being a carbon sink.
Future Consequences
The consequences of the highway being built are not just for the wildlife immediately affected but open up the door for future opportunities for more destruction. The highway could make the rainforest more accessible to future mining efforts, causing pollution to the water in runoff and destroying more of the ecosystem.
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