Belem, host of next year’s climate talks, is Amazonian city plagued with pollution and violence

Associated Press

BELEM, Brazil (AP) — Belem, a bustling metropolitan area of 2.5 million people near the mouth of the Amazon River, is preparing to host COP30 next year. But when tens of thousands of participants arrive, they won’t find idyllic images of rainforest, like lush vegetation and clean rivers. Impoverished, crime-ridden and filled with inequalities, most of Belem’s residents live in slums. What’s more, only 2% of the city’s sewage gets treated, imposing a heavy toll on its 13 river basins. Since it was officially designated host two years ago, the city has been racing to prepare. New hotels are being built, and the state government of Para has launched some 30 infrastructure projects, ranging from tourism to urban development.