Joe of the Jungle, watch out for that tree!
President Biden entered the jungle on Sunday, vowing to “fight for humanity” and becoming the first sitting commander-in-chief to set foot in the Amazon rainforest, aiming to cement his legacy on climate change. It became.
After an expansive aerial tour of the tropics aboard Marine One, Biden was transported to the Amazonia Museum and then walked into a nature reserve, where he gave a speech emphasizing the importance of protecting the rainforest.
“The most powerful solutions to combating climate change are all around us, in the world's forests,” Biden said, wearing a blue button-down shirt and boots, as he stood on a dirt road in a lush forest. He made the announcement from a podium set up in the path.
“Fighting climate change has been a defining objective of my presidency.”
Biden was accompanied on his adventure in the humid, insect-infested jungle by his daughter Ashley, granddaughter Natalia, and Nobel Prize winner Dr. Carlos Noble.
During the trip, Biden consulted with indigenous leaders and touted how he achieved the U.S. goal of allocating $11 billion in climate funding annually, up from $1.5 billion when he took office.
The visit came close to President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House. Biden did not mention his predecessor or successor by name, but he did mention them.
“I will leave my successors and my country a strong foundation on which to build if they choose to do so.Indeed, I will leave my successors and my country with a strong foundation to build upon if they choose to do so. Some may try to deny it or delay it, but no one can reverse it,” Biden declared.
“We don't have to choose between the environment and the economy.”
The White House said the museum Biden visited is located in the Adolfo Duck Forest Reserve, which is considered the “Gateway to the Amazon” and is often considered the “original starting point of the Amazon River.” are.
Louisiana State University, the Smithsonian Institution, and other U.S. organizations have partnered with the Conservancy.
After the tour, Biden signed a proclamation declaring November 17th as International Day of Conservation.
The White House also announced the launch of an approximately $50 million Amazon Fund, the Brazilian Recovery and Bioeconomy Finance Coalition, a $37.5 million reforestation loan, and a tropical forest permanent facility supported by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The company also announced several conservation initiatives, including support for.
Covering more than two-thirds of Australia, the Amazon rainforest is home to an estimated 10% of the planet's biodiversity.
Biden's jungle trip followed his attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference in Lima, Peru, on Nov. 15 and 16, where he gathered with several foreign leaders, including China's Xi Jinping.
The president was then embarrassingly relegated to the back corner of a family photo of APEC world leaders as organizers arranged the heads of state alphabetically by country name.
The president's visit coincided with revelations that his administration had authorized Ukraine to use long-range missiles to attack targets deep in Russian territory.
After visiting Manaus to tour the Amazon rainforest, Biden flew to Rio de Janeiro to attend the Group of 20 (G20) summit scheduled for November 18-19.
