Brazil tests Amazon 'climate time machine' ahead of COP30 summit

Brazilian scientists are simulating future climate conditions in the Amazon rainforest by releasing CO₂ into a forest area near Manaus, in a project known as AmazonFACE. The experiment aims to understand how the rainforest will respond to increased carbon dioxide levels forecast for 2050–2060.

The AmazonFACE site consists of six steel towers encircling dozens of mature trees, where some plots are fumigated with CO₂ while others are used as controls. The project is led by Brazil’s National Institute for Amazon Research (INPA) and supported by the UK government.

Results from the experiment are expected to inform discussions at COP30, the UN climate summit Brazil will host in Belém on Nov. 10–21.