Biden Makes Historic Visit to Amazon Amid Climate Concerns Over Trump’s Return

AFP/APP

Manaus, Brazil: US President Joe Biden embarked on a historic trip to the Amazon rainforest on Sunday, aiming to showcase his administration’s climate change efforts ahead of a G20 summit, while the looming return of Donald Trump stirs concerns over potential reversals in US climate policy.

Biden’s visit to Manaus, Brazil, marks the first time a sitting US president has traveled to the heart of the world’s largest rainforest. It is a key part of his final foreign tour before the end of his presidency in January. Following the visit, Biden will head to Rio de Janeiro for the G20 summit, with Trump’s upcoming return to the White House casting a shadow over the event.

Ahead of the visit, the White House highlighted that the US had met its climate financing goal of $11 billion annually—six times the amount provided at the start of Biden’s term. This makes the US the largest bilateral provider of climate finance globally. The administration has emphasized that addressing climate change has been a cornerstone of Biden’s presidency.

However, Biden’s presence in South America has been overshadowed by greater fanfare surrounding Chinese President Xi Jinping, who attended a summit in Lima, Peru, drawing more attention. In a meeting with Biden, Xi expressed hopes for a smooth transition in US-China relations under the incoming Trump administration.

The return of Trump, who has previously pledged to roll back Biden’s green policies, raises concerns about the future of US climate action. Trump, a climate change skeptic, has vowed to undo Biden’s policies, including potentially withdrawing from the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement. His recent nomination of Chris Wright, a fracking magnate, as his energy secretary has sparked further fears about a retreat from climate action.

The Amazon rainforest, spanning nine countries, plays a critical role in absorbing carbon dioxide and combating climate change. However, it is increasingly vulnerable to environmental destruction, including the worst wildfires in nearly two decades this year, fueled by severe droughts attributed to global warming. Deforestation in the Amazon has been alarmingly high, with recent studies showing an area roughly the size of Germany and France lost over the past four decades.

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has committed to halting illegal deforestation in the Amazon by 2030. But experts warn that a second Trump presidency could undo progress on climate action, potentially emboldening other major polluters like China and India to reduce their own efforts to curb emissions.

As the world faces an escalating climate crisis, the outcome of the G20 summit and the political trajectory of the US remain pivotal in determining the future of global climate efforts.