Brazil Approves Amazon Oil Drilling Ahead of COP30 Amid Environmental Backlash

Brazil has approved Petrobras to begin oil drilling near the mouth of the Amazon River less than a month before hosting the COP30 climate talks in Belem, sparking significant controversy. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva supports the project, viewing oil revenues as a means to fund the country's climate transition, but environmentalists and Indigenous groups strongly oppose the move, citing threats to biodiversity and the Amazon's ecological integrity. Critics argue the decision undermines Brazil's climate leadership and COP30's goals, with organizations like Brazil's Climate Observatory and 350.org calling the licensing process flawed and illegal. Petrobras asserts it has met all environmental requirements set by the watchdog Ibama and plans to drill an exploratory well far offshore at significant depth. Civil society groups plan to challenge the approval in court, demanding a just energy transition that respects Indigenous and local communities. The decision highlights tensions between economic interests in oil exploitation and global climate commitments Brazil must address as COP30 approaches.