As host of next year’s COP30 climate summit, Belem is unveiling an ambitious new model for sustainable growth — one that turns the Amazon’s natural abundance into livelihoods while keeping its forests standing.
In the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, the state of Pará is redefining what progress looks like. Instead of clearing land for cattle or mining, the region is investing in the production and global export of forest-based goods — from acai and Brazil nuts to herbs and natural oils — that generate income without destroying the environment.
At the centre of this effort is the newly inaugurated $56 million Bioeconomy and Innovation Park, located near Belem’s historic Ver-o-Peso market. The state-of-the-art facility provides laboratories, machinery, and training for local entrepreneurs developing foods, cosmetics, and other products sourced from the Amazon’s biodiversity.
Local businesses are already reaping the benefits. Artisanal herb producers and acai exporters have expanded their operations, creating jobs and supporting hundreds of families in the process. Among them is Chef Leonardo Souza, who said the park helped transform his small business into a growing enterprise.
“We managed to increase the number of families,” Souza said. “When I first entered the bioeconomy park, I saw a great opportunity for us to expand our production capacity.”
The results are striking. Acai prices have more than tripled, climbing from $3 to $11 per pot, while exports to Europe continue to grow. The park also supports coffee growers who combine organic farming with reforestation, helping smallholders earn a stable income while restoring degraded land.
Para Governor Helder Barbalho said the state’s approach reflects a broader vision — to transform the Amazon’s natural wealth into what he calls a “new economy.”
“We must reduce our dependence on extractive economies, on industries that emit greenhouse gases,” Barbalho said. “Our goal is to build low-emission economies that value living forests.”
As COP30 draws closer, Belem hopes to showcase this model as a tangible example of how developing nations can reconcile growth with conservation. By investing in sustainable industries rooted in the forest itself, Brazil aims to prove that the Amazon can be both protected and profitable — a living engine of prosperity for generations to come.
Yemen’s southern separatists have announced plans to hold a referendum on independence from the north within two years, a move likely to further esc...
Russian airstrikes have devasted apartment buildings in a residential area of Kharkiv, north-eastern Ukraine, injuring at least 25 people according to...
A 6.5-magnitude earthquake has struck the southern state of Guerrero in Mexico....
Suhail Shaheen, Afghanistan’s ambassador in Doha, has again urged the United Nations to transfer Afghanistan’s seat at the UN to the Taliban-led a...
The Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami unveiled that the country’s civilian nuclear program has been the target of i...
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he would have a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday to discuss peace efforts between Ukraine and Russia as well as issues surrounding Gaza.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 2nd of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Democrat Zohran Mamdani officially took office as New York City’s mayor on Thursday, beginning his term with a public swearing-in ceremony on the steps of City Hall.
Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of targeting civilians during New Year attacks, as intensified fighting coincided with U.S.-led efforts to push both sides towards ending the nearly four-year war.
Dozens of people are feared dead and around 100 others injured after an explosion tore through a crowded bar during New Year’s Eve celebrations at the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, authorities said.
At least 47 people were killed and 112 injured after a fire broke out at a crowded bar in the Swiss ski resort town of Crans-Montana during New Year’s Eve celebrations, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told Italian media on Thursday.
India has approved a major arms deal with Israel valued at approximately $8.7 billion, highlighting the deepening defence partnership between the two countries.
Russian athletes will not be allowed to represent their country at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics even if a peace deal is reached with Ukraine, International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry said in an interview with an Italian newspaper.
India and Pakistan on Thursday exchanged lists of nuclear facilities as well as civilian prisoners, under long-standing bilateral agreements, according to official statements from both countries.
The United Nations on Friday voiced serious concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Sudan, warning that rising violence is increasingly affecting civilians.
Ukrainian officials reported on Friday that thousands of children and their parents were evacuated from frontline areas in the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions as Russian forces continued to advance.
Yemen’s southern separatists have announced plans to hold a referendum on independence from the north within two years, a move likely to further escalate tensions as Saudi-backed government forces seek to retake territory seized by the group last month.
A 6.5-magnitude earthquake has struck the southern state of Guerrero in Mexico.
Suhail Shaheen, Afghanistan’s ambassador in Doha, has again urged the United Nations to transfer Afghanistan’s seat at the UN to the Taliban-led administration, arguing the current arrangement no longer reflects realities in the country.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment