A highway cutting through the Amazon rainforest for COP30 in Brazil has sparked criticism. Thousands of acres of forest have been cleared. While officials call it sustainable, conservationists highlight the hypocrisy of destroying nature to host a climate summit.

Dubbed the Avenida Liberdade highway, the new stretch of highway cuts across tens of thousands of acres of rainforest located on the outskirts of Belem, where over 50,000 people, including world leaders, are anticipated to gather in November for the COP30 Climate Summit, according to a report from BBC News.

The Amazon is vital for absorbing carbon and maintaining biodiversity. Many argue that clearing land for a road goes against the purpose of a climate summit.