Plastic and metal trees have replaced living vegetation in parts of Belém, the Amazonian host city for this year's Cop30 climate summit, sparking criticism over the environmental cost of preparations. The tropical port, one of Brazil's poorest cities, is clearing forests for new roads and infrastructure to accommodate 50,000 visitors in November, while hotel prices have soared, prompting federal threats to prosecute price-gougers.
State governor Helder Barbalho insists the event is on track, claiming it will be the most participatory Cop in history, giving civil society a voice after three summits in autocratic nations. He argues that the road improvements, which resulted in the clearance of over 100 hectares of vegetation, were planned before the Cop bid and include measures to reduce carbon emissions and wildlife deaths.
But urban planners and conservation groups disagree. Ana Claudia Cardoso, a professor at the Federal University of Pará, predicts the city will have less tree cover after the summit than before. The new Parque da Cidade conference centre, built by mining giant Vale – responsible for the 2019 Brumadinho dam disaster – features 'eco-trees' copied from Singapore, as officials said good soil for real trees was lacking.
Governor Barbalho counters that Pará, once a centre of Amazon destruction, is now leading efforts to halve deforestation. He insists the summit will improve residents' lives, but critics argue the main beneficiaries are developers and corporations, with little focus on reducing inequality or integrating nature into urban planning.
