Global Climate Talks in Brazil Mask a Costly Gamble That Undermines American Interests

As the global climate summit unfolds in Belem, Brazil, the spotlight shines on President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's ambitious Tropical Forests Forever Facility — a multibillion-dollar proposal that seeks to pay developing nations to preserve their rainforests. While the idea of protecting vital ecosystems sounds noble on paper, beneath the surface lies a troubling blueprint of international debt dependency and circumvention of American leadership. Is This Fund a Climate Solution or an Economic Trap? Lula’s scheme relies on loans from wealthy nations and commercial investors rather than straightforward aid. By leveraging interest-bearing debt, it aims to make governments financially...