SAO PAULO, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump is making it harder to negotiate the commitments needed from rich countries to tackle climate change and contribute to the "salvation" of the planet, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Wednesday.

"Because of the behavior of the U.S. president, I think it will be increasingly difficult for rich countries to commit to helping to save the planet," Lula said in an interview with Radio Diario FM in Macapa, capital of the northern Amazonian state of Amapa.

Brazil, home to the Amazon rainforest and considered the planet's largest green lung, will host the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) from Nov. 10 to 21 in Belem, capital of the northern Amazonian state of Para.

COP30's agenda includes increasing financial support from wealthy nations to help developing countries protect their forests, jungles and ecosystems in the fight against global warming.

"At the COP in 2009," Lula said, "rich countries committed ... to giving 100 billion dollars to keep the forests standing, and they failed to do so ... Currently, the need is 1.3 trillion dollars."

Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change and, on Monday, declared a ban on paper straws in government buildings and a return to plastic ones.

Despite these latest developments, Lula said he hopes wealthier countries can be convinced to finance the preservation of the Earth's ecosystems.

"When we decided to hold COP30 in Belem, it was because I wanted the Amazon to speak to the world ... and meet the people who live in the Amazon region. We want to seriously discuss financing. Are they going to provide financing or not?" said Lula. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)