The Brazilian government announced Wednesday it will invest $75 million (about €65 million) in paving the BR-319 highway that cuts through the center of the Amazon rainforest.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's administration simultaneously announced an environmental protection plan to safeguard the forest from the potential impacts of the highway.

Environmentalists argue that deforestation in the Amazon often occurs along roadsides due to easier access, and they advocate for commitments that take this into account.

The Amazon rainforest is home to millions of plant and animal species and plays a critical cooling effect on the planet. Its trees absorb and store carbon dioxide, which is released back into the atmosphere when trees are felled.

BR-319 was officially opened in 1976 and later abandoned due to maintenance difficulties. Only a portion of the road has been usable since. The 560-mile (900 km) dirt road is the only connection between the manufacturing hub of Manaus in the north and the rest of the country.

Lula said during a ceremony in Amazonas state: "From an environmental standpoint, it will be the most modern road in the world." The government pledged to install inspection checkpoints, enforcement bases, and create new conservation units. It plans to hire a private company in 2028 to support enforcement.

Environmental groups, including the Climate Observatory, have challenged the project in court. In 2024, the Climate Observatory filed a lawsuit to overturn the preliminary license for paving BR-319, issued in 2022, arguing that officials ignored technical warnings from Brazil's environmental agency and failed to require key safeguards such as Indigenous consultation and climate impact studies.

Source: www.dw.com