Legacy of COP 30: sanitation benefits over 500 thousand people in Belém
Works in the basins of Tucunduba, Una, Murutucu, and Tamandaré and in 13 channels prepare Belém for COP 30 in November this year
With 6 months to go until the United Nations Climate Conference (COP 30), which will take place in November 2025 in Belém, the Government of Pará is promoting an intense transformation in the capital of Pará, with sanitation works in four river basins that cut through Belém: Tucunduba, Una, Murutucu, and Tamandaré.
The structural reurbanization involves the sanitation of 13 channels included in these basins. A milestone for public health and a leap towards better quality of life for residents of neighborhoods such as Guamá, Terra Firme, Canudos, Marco, Reduto, Cidade Velha, Benguí, Marambaia, Curió-Utinga, Sacramenta, Telégrafo, and Barreiro.
The investment in sanitation works positively impacts 500 thousand people. Vânia Neves, who has lived for over forty years on Gentil Bittencourt Avenue, expresses her happiness with the benefits provided in the Gentil channel, in the section delivered by the state government in January of this year.
“We are living a historic year, with gigantic works being done here in the neighborhood. My husband and I are happy, satisfied. We have been waiting for this for a long time and I can only thank the governor for bringing so many good things,” said Vânia Neves.
Until the realization of COP 30 in November in Belém, the sanitation project foresees the implementation of a total of 55.5 kilometers of sewage network and the installation of more than 10 thousand connections of household units to the network in the areas covered by the works in the channels of the Tucunduba, Una, Murutucu, and Tamandaré basins.
Another section, already delivered to the population, in the Marco neighborhood was the Timbó channel with União, providing improvements in the drainage of rainwater and urban mobility. Public servant William Braga knows that the works will not only be useful during COP 30; they will remain for several generations.
“The reconstructed channel is a dream, it changed our lives, now there will be no more flooding. We are proud to say that our Belém is ready to host any event, as it has the structure, the neighborhoods have undergone works that will remain for the population for years,” comments Braga.
The vice-governor, Hana Ghassan, emphasizes the gains for Belém and its residents with the expansion and reconstruction of the channels. “The state government works daily to ensure basic sanitation for the population, to promote water supply in all neighborhoods. We are proud to host an international event (COP30) and we are committed to bringing dignity to the people of Belém. Our commitment is to Belém and to our people,” said the vice-governor.
Due to COP30, a large plan of structural works is underway, focusing on basic sanitation, urban mobility, and social development. This will positively impact the lives of the capital's population and even the Metropolitan Region of Belém. The total investment from the state for the set of more than 30 works is R$ 4.5 billion, with resources from the State Treasury, Itaipu Binacional, BNDES, and Caixa Econômica Federal.
Ver-o-Peso Complex - The Government of Pará began in November 2024, the sanitation work of Ver-o-Peso, the largest open-air market complex in Latin America. The system will have more than 4 kilometers of sewage network for the proper collection and treatment of sewage from properties and businesses in the region, improving the quality of life for the population that lives and works in the most well-known scenery of Belém.
City Park - With about 80% of the COP30 stage works already completed, City Park is an important legacy of the conference for Belém. Located in the Souza neighborhood, the park is being built in an area of 500 thousand m². After COP30, the Park will be delivered for public use.
The City Park project integrates sustainability, leisure, culture, art, and well-being. It foresees a Creative Economy Center, a Gastronomic Boulevard, the Aviation Museum, bike trails, and eco-trails. The Park also conserves forest areas and is an expansion of the city's green area with the planting and transplanting of 2,500 trees. Lakes and sports facilities complement the structure.
COP 30 - COP30 brings together representatives from over 190 countries to discuss and establish agreements that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. For the first time hosted in Brazil and in the Amazon, COP 30 will be a milestone for the review of the Paris Agreement, celebrated a decade ago.
The City Park will be the stage for the Blue Zone and the Green Zone. The Blue Zone, under the administration of the UN, is the space for official negotiations between delegates accredited by the UNFCCC. The Green Zone, managed by Brazil, houses pavilions for governmental and business negotiations, spaces for presentations, and cultural events.
Text: Ana Carolina Maia and Arthur Sobral
