President Joe Biden announced major climate initiatives on Sunday during his historic visit to the Amazon rainforest, pledging an additional $50 million to Brazil’s Amazon Fund and asserting that no future administration could reverse America’s progress on clean energy.
Speaking from Manaus, the largest city in the Amazon, Biden described the fight against climate change as a cornerstone of his presidency. “It’s true, some may seek to deny or delay the clean energy revolution that’s underway in America. But nobody, nobody can reverse it, nobody — not when so many people, regardless of party or politics, are enjoying its benefits,” he declared.
The pledge doubles the United States’ total contribution to the fund, a key instrument for rainforest conservation, as Biden seeks to solidify his climate legacy before leaving office in January.
The Amazon, often referred to as the “lungs of the world,” absorbs vast amounts of carbon dioxide, making its preservation critical in mitigating global warming.
Biden’s visit marked the first by a sitting US president to the Amazon and included meetings with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Indigenous leaders. Lula, who has vowed to end deforestation by 2030, welcomed Biden’s renewed commitment. The two leaders discussed collaborative efforts, including a newly launched bioeconomy coalition aiming to mobilise $10 billion by 2030 to restore degraded lands and boost eco-friendly development. Biden also highlighted US plans to channel $37.5 million into reforesting Brazil’s grasslands and support Lula’s “Tropical Forest Forever Fund.”
However, the significance of Biden’s visit is tempered by the looming inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, who has pledged to roll back climate policies, expand fossil fuel production, and withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement. Critics fear Trump’s return could undermine Biden’s climate achievements and halt pledged contributions to the Amazon Fund. Environmental experts, such as Suely Araújo from Brazil’s Climate Observatory, expressed doubts that the announced funds would materialise under a Trump administration.
Biden’s tour of the Amazon included viewing fire damage and dried-up waterways caused by historic droughts, as well as interactions with Indigenous communities and scientists highlighting the rainforest’s ecological importance. “This is not just Brazil’s responsibility but a global fight for humanity,” Biden said, urging continued international support for conservation efforts.