Brazil: UN regional group has endorsed Amazon city to host 2025 climate conference
Associated Press
Associated Press
yesterday
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during a news conference after attending the Group of Seven nations' summit in Hiroshima, western Japan, Monday, May 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s government announced Friday that a U.N. Latin America regional group has endorsed a Brazilian city in the Amazon region to host the 2025 U.N. climate change conference, though the world body has not yet publicly confirmed the venue.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva initially said Brazil will hold the conference, known as COP 30, in the city of Belem, state of Para, in the heart of the Brazilian rainforest, reflecting his intention to bring attention to the Amazon.
A statement from the Brazilian government later clarified that the region’s support was merely a step in the selection process. The “support for the Brazilian candidacy demonstrates the region’s confidence in Brazil’s capacity to advance the agenda in the fight against climate change,” the statement read.
The latest U.N. climate conference was hosted by Egypt in Sharm el-Sheikh, and this year’s will take place in Dubai.
The U.N. has not yet announced the 2024 venue, let alone the 2025 one, but the locations tend to rotate among regions, and the Brazilian government statement Friday indicated that a Latin American working group was choosing the 2025 venue, and had endorsed Belem. The final decision won’t be made until COP 29 next year.
“It will be a honor for Brazil to welcome representatives from all over the world in a state in our Amazon,” Lula said in a video posted on his social media channels. “I went to COPs in Egypt, in Paris, in Copenhagen, and all people talk about is the Amazon. So I said, ‘Why don’t we go there so you see what the Amazon is like?’”
Brazil’s foreign minister, Mauro Vieira, says in the video that the decision was made at the U.N. on May 18. The U.N. has yet to confirm the venue.
Brazil’s announcement comes in a week that Lula’s administration’s environmental governance has faced headwinds from Brazil’s congress. Lawmakers by a large majority approved a measure that eroded the environment ministry’s authority over construction in forested and coastal areas, as well as other development.
Also this week, the congress is debating whether the state-run oil giant should be allowed to drill off the coast in the Amazon states of Amapa and Para.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during a news conference after attending the Group of Seven nations' summit in Hiroshima, western Japan, Monday, May 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s government announced Friday that a U.N. Latin America regional group has endorsed a Brazilian city in the Amazon region to host the 2025 U.N. climate change conference, though the world body has not yet publicly confirmed the venue.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva initially said Brazil will hold the conference, known as COP 30, in the city of Belem, state of Para, in the heart of the Brazilian rainforest, reflecting his intention to bring attention to the Amazon.
A statement from the Brazilian government later clarified that the region’s support was merely a step in the selection process. The “support for the Brazilian candidacy demonstrates the region’s confidence in Brazil’s capacity to advance the agenda in the fight against climate change,” the statement read.
The latest U.N. climate conference was hosted by Egypt in Sharm el-Sheikh, and this year’s will take place in Dubai.
The U.N. has not yet announced the 2024 venue, let alone the 2025 one, but the locations tend to rotate among regions, and the Brazilian government statement Friday indicated that a Latin American working group was choosing the 2025 venue, and had endorsed Belem. The final decision won’t be made until COP 29 next year.
“It will be a honor for Brazil to welcome representatives from all over the world in a state in our Amazon,” Lula said in a video posted on his social media channels. “I went to COPs in Egypt, in Paris, in Copenhagen, and all people talk about is the Amazon. So I said, ‘Why don’t we go there so you see what the Amazon is like?’”
Brazil’s foreign minister, Mauro Vieira, says in the video that the decision was made at the U.N. on May 18. The U.N. has yet to confirm the venue.
Brazil’s announcement comes in a week that Lula’s administration’s environmental governance has faced headwinds from Brazil’s congress. Lawmakers by a large majority approved a measure that eroded the environment ministry’s authority over construction in forested and coastal areas, as well as other development.
Also this week, the congress is debating whether the state-run oil giant should be allowed to drill off the coast in the Amazon states of Amapa and Para.
AFP
Fri, May 26, 2023,
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, pictured on May 25, 2023, has promised to eradicate illegal deforestation in the Amazon by 2030
The city of Belem on the edge of the Brazilian Amazon has been chosen to host the COP30 round of global climate talks in 2025, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced Friday.
"I am convinced that it will be a great event... the world will love the people of the state of Para" of which Belem is the capital, the president said in a video posted on social media.
"I already participated in this conference (Conference of the Parties or COP) in Egypt, in France, and everyone was talking about the Amazon. So I said: 'Why not hold the conference there, so you know where the Amazon is?'" Lula said about his offer to host the annual talks.
Brazil had been chosen to host the COP in 2019, but withdrew its offer shortly after the election of Lula's far-right predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro -- a climate change skeptic accused of dismantling environmental protections during his term.
Lula, who assumed his third term as head of Brazil in January, has promised to eradicate illegal deforestation in the Amazon by 2030.
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