News Americas, New York, NY, November 19, 2024: President Joe Biden made history on Sunday as the first sitting U.S. president to visit the Amazon, highlighting the devastating impact of climate change on the world’s largest rainforest. The visit underscores Biden’s commitment to environmental conservation, even as the incoming Trump administration signals a rollback of U.S. climate policies.
During his tour, Biden flew over drought-stricken regions of the Amazon and witnessed fire-ravaged rainforests, underscoring the dire toll climate change has taken on the critical ecosystem. The Amazon, which spans an area roughly the size of Australia, is a vital carbon sink for the planet but faces accelerating deforestation and severe drought conditions.
Biden’s visit included a helicopter tour over the Negro River tributary, where grounded ships and eroded landscapes offered stark evidence of the Amazon’s challenges. Joined by Nobel Prize-winning scientist Carlos Nobre, Biden viewed both damaged areas and thriving wildlife refuges.
The president also engaged with Indigenous leaders and participated in a ceremonial welcome led by three Indigenous women. At the event, he introduced his daughter and granddaughter and emphasized his administration’s dedication to rainforest preservation.
“I’m proud to become the first sitting president to visit the Amazon,” Biden declared, as he signed a proclamation designating November 17 as International Conservation Day.
New U.S. Commitments to the Amazon
The Biden administration recently pledged $500 million to the Amazon Fund, an international initiative aimed at rainforest conservation, primarily funded by Norway. While $50 million has already been delivered, the White House announced an additional $50 million contribution on Sunday.
Further, Biden’s team unveiled new initiatives, including a $37.5 million loan for reforestation projects in Brazil and a coalition aiming to attract $10 billion in investments for sustainable land restoration and eco-friendly development by 2030.
“We’re committed to safeguarding the Amazon’s role in combating climate change,” Biden stated, noting that U.S. international climate financing has increased sixfold during his presidency, reaching $11 billion in 2024.
A Forest Under Threat
The Amazon, home to Indigenous communities and 10% of Earth’s biodiversity, plays a crucial role in regulating South America’s moisture and global climate patterns. Yet, environmental degradation continues at an alarming rate.
Historic droughts have parched rivers, hindered fishing communities, and fueled wildfires that have destroyed an area larger than Switzerland. Under the leadership of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, forest loss dropped by over 30% in the past year, reaching its lowest level in nearly a decade. However, critics have raised concerns over Lula’s support for infrastructure projects that could threaten the rainforest’s delicate balance.
As Biden concluded his Amazon tour, he reflected on the global importance of the region. “Protecting the Amazon is not just a regional challenge—it’s a global imperative,” he said.
Biden’s visit is part of a six-day tour of South America, which included stops at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima, Peru, and the Group of 20 leaders meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil that wraps up today.
With the future of U.S. climate policy uncertain, Biden’s Amazon trip is a powerful reminder of the need for international collaboration to protect one of the planet’s most vital ecosystems.
