President Joe Biden traveled to Brazil on Nov. 17 to visit the Amazon rainforest, seizing a unique opportunity to advocate for his climate policies and legacy as his term comes to an end.
Biden arrived in Manaus, where he met with indigenous leaders and other local figures, for the first visit by a sitting U.S. president to the region, according to the White House.
The president traveled to the region from Lima, Peru, where he attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit for the annual gathering of 21 countries, including China, Australia, Canada, and Japan.
While in the Amazon, Biden participated in an aerial tour of the area before visiting the Museu da Amazônia, a museum dedicated to the conservation and research of the rainforest and its communities.
The president signed proclamation designating Nov. 17 as International Conservation Day.
Under Biden, the United States ramped up international climate finance to more than $11 billion per year by 2024, becoming the largest bilateral provider of climate funding globally, according to a White House fact sheet.
As part of his trip, the president announced more funding to tackle the climate crisis, including providing $50 million for the Amazon Fund, which is subject to congressional notification.
“It’s no secret that I’m leaving office in January. I will leave my successor and my country a strong foundation to build on if they choose to do so,” Biden said.
“Since Day One of the Biden–Harris Administration, the fight against climate change has been a defining cause of President Biden’s leadership and presidency,” the fact sheet stated. “These past four years, the administration has created a bold new playbook that has turned tackling the climate crisis into an enormous economic opportunity—both at home and abroad.”
As part of the initiative, the Biden administration announced that the U.S. Agency for International Development will provide nearly $15 million in aid to support local and indigenous communities and bolster local businesses in the Amazon.
In addition, the United States will help promote low-carbon, climate-resilient supply chains and offer technology to aid in forest conservation and management.
Before heading to the Amazon, Biden held a bilateral meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Nov. 16 in Lima on the sidelines of the APEC summit. During their meeting, which lasted one hour and 40 minutes, Xi expressed China’s readiness to work with the incoming U.S. administration of President-elect Donald Trump.
“China is ready to work with the new U.S. administration to maintain communication, expand cooperation, and manage differences, so as to strive for a steady transition of the China–U.S. relationship for the benefit of the two peoples,” Xi told Biden.
Following his visit to the Amazon, Biden will travel to Rio de Janeiro on Sunday to participate in the G20 Leaders’ Summit on Nov. 18–19 before returning to Washington.
Biden’s Amazon trip comes as Trump pledges to claw back billions of dollars in funding allocated to the Biden administration’s climate and energy agenda.
To increase U.S. energy production and reduce inflation, Trump promised to increase oil drilling on public lands and offer tax breaks to oil, gas, and coal producers.
He promised to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement and reverse Biden’s incentives and regulations that promote electric vehicles.
On Nov. 16, Trump appointed oil industry executive Chris Wright to lead the Energy Department. Wright is the founder of Liberty Energy, which is a major energy industry service provider. He has been a vocal critic of Biden’s alternative energy push.
