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

abcnews.go.com:

Belem, a bustling metropolitan area of 2.5 million people near the mouth of the Amazon River, is preparing to host COP30 next year

BELEM, Brazil — For the last few years, climate scientists, environmentalists and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva have been talking up the first U.N. climate conference to be held in the Amazon. The largest tropical forest in the world stores huge amounts of planet-warming greenhouse gases, making it crucial in the world's fight against climate change.

In addition to the symbolism of hosting in the Amazon, COP30, as the climate talks are called, will be a pivotal gathering because nations must come with updated plans to reduce emissions.

But when tens of thousands of participants arrive in the host city of Belem next year, they won’t find idyllic images of rainforest, like lush vegetation and clean rivers. In Belem, impoverished, crime-ridden and filled with inequalities, most of the 2.5 million residents live in slums. What's more, only 2% of the city's sewage gets treated, imposing a heavy toll on its 14 river basins.

Since it was designated host two years ago, this bustling metropolitan area near the Amazon River has been racing to prepare. In several parts of the city, construction hoardings bearing “COP30” signs surround buildings. Three major hotels are under development, but that won't provide enough rooms, so organizers plan to get cruise ships that can house up to 5,000 people. Brazil's government estimates that 50,000 people will attend COP30, including up to 150 heads of state.

COP30 will also serve as a test for Lula’s commitment to preserving the Amazon. When he was elected for a third term in 2022, the leftist leader was celebrated for promises to curb the