Less than five months before the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), which will be held in Belém (Pará) in November, the shortage of accommodations, high prices, and lack of official information about accommodations for the event are issues to be addressed. The number of available lodging spaces has already doubled between January and May—from 18,000 to 36,000—but it’s still not close enough to host 50,000 people expected in the city for the event.
The cost of accommodation is also alarming. According to a survey by the newspaper O Estado de S.Paulo, the cost of staying for 11 days can reach up to US$ 360,000. As a result, lodging could become a real problem, especially for environmentalists and activists who do not have a backing fund.
On February 24, the official COP30 platform announced that more information about lodging would soon be available, but so far, nothing has changed. Even the state government of Pará—which partnered with hotel chains, lodging apps, and contributed to the increase in available accommodations—has not provided guidance or official information for visitors.
According to Raquel Ferreira, a digital influencer and founder of the travel agency Monotour, this lack of institutional information is the main issue, but not the only one. “A lot of people are treating COP as a tourist event. And it’s not. It’s a socio-environmental agenda, and those who aren’t committed to that—whether professionally, as activists, or students—can visit the city at another time,” she argues. However, she believes that despite the shortcomings of federal, state, and local tourism policies [in the cities of Greater Belém], the city is still capable of hosting the event.
According to her, there are options for locations on the islands around Belém and in cities throughout the metropolitan region, and she recommends that visitors seek information through tourism agencies or professionals in the field. “We can have alternative transport routes, including river routes—we could house people on Mosqueiro Island and bring them to Belém by boat. So yes, there are possibilities, though there’s also clearly a great deal of speculation,” she acknowledges.
While many are seeing the opportunity to charge in dollars or euros, Raquel also highlights Belém’s hospitable side. She emphasizes that some people are more interested in building lasting relationships and loyal clients, hoping COP30 will help establish Belém as a tourist destination. However, she believes that this legacy is not being properly supported by public authorities. “Although there are incentive programs, training courses, and other initiatives, they are insufficient and contribute to the speculative environment,” she concludes.
What legacy will COP30 leave for the city in terms of habitation?
According to the João Pinheiro Foundation, the habitation deficit in the Metropolitan Region of Belém currently stands at 84,000 homes. In addition, only 2.7% of the city has proper health coverage and sanitation coverage, according to Instituto Trata Brasil—one of the worst rates in the country. From R$4.7 billion being invested for COP30, a large portion is being used into parts of the city that already have established infrastructure. For instance, among the many ongoing macro-drainage projects in Belém, only the Doca de Souza Franco and Tamandaré canals—located in the central area—will receive substantial investments in landscaping.
In addition, Belém ranks as the 6th least forested state capital in Brazil, according to IBGE.
Meanwhile, of the 10,000 temporary accommodations being prepared for COP30, none will result in permanent housing. The 10,000 beds to be provided on cruise ships will depart once the event concludes. According to the 2022 Census by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE in Portuguese), the Belém Metropolitan Region has the highest concentration of favelas (slums) in the country. If no significant housing policy is implemented for the post-COP scenario, there is a concern that the number of favelas will increase.
In the Metropolitan Region of Belém, Brazil, 57.1% of the population lives in informal settlements with poor access to services due to a lack of land regularization. This is due to the occupation of flood-prone areas by Black people and forest refugees, exemplifying “environmental racism.” These populations are often neglected when large projects are organized, leading to forced evictions and measures that benefit city centers. This is due to a Eurocentric worldview that undervalues traditional communities, leading authorities to prioritize infrastructure for the elite.
