When President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took office in early 2023, environmentalists breathed a sigh of relief. After four years of environmental destruction under his far-right predecessor Jair Bolsonaro, the new leader arrived on a pledge to protect the climate.

Fast forward two years, and that relief has turned to disappointment. Just months before Brazil is due to host the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), Lula is pushing for oil exploration at the mouth of the Amazon River, and his government has approved joining the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC ).

"The world has given Brazil a mandate to lead the climate debate in 2025," said Claudio Angelo, coordinator of communications at Brazilian nonprofit Observatorio do Clima. "To double down on oil expansion is a betrayal of that mandate."

Brazil has vast reserves of oil and ranks as the eighth-largest global exporter — behind such countries as Saudi Arabia, Russia and the US. But the government is looking to increase its oil share and move up into fourth place.

"We should not be ashamed of being oil producers," said Brazil's energy minister, Alexandre Silveira, upon announcing the country's plans to join OPEC . "Brazil needs to........

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