With Hotels Full, Brazil Turns To Cruise Ships To Host Delegates Attending UN Climate Summit

ETVBHARAT

Luxury cruise liners MSC Seaview and Costa Diadema arrived from Europe to serve as temporary hotels and accommodate thousands of delegates descending on Belem.

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00:00Two massive cruise ships now tower over the quiet port of Otero in Brazil's Amazon,

00:09where nearly 50,000 people have gathered for a United Nations climate conference.

00:14The MSC Seaview and Costa Diedema, both built in Italy,

00:20sailed from Europe to serve as floating hotels for delegates

00:24after Belem's limited accommodation quickly ran out.

00:28Together, they can house more than 12,000 guests.

00:33Their arrival has drawn curiosity from nearby fishing communities

00:37and some criticism from environmental groups

00:40who see irony in cruise ships known for high fuel use housing delegates at a climate summit.

00:47You know, in most of the countries where we go, in most of the workshops, in most of the conferences,

00:53we stay in the hotels or in the apartments, so we wanted something that is different.

00:57The room is very comfortable, the water is cold and hot, the internet is working.

01:04There is no risk for the environment, since it is a monitoring topic.

01:12There are systems, technologies, indicators,

01:16that make this support, that make this management.

01:21However, Brazil's President insisted the summit must take place in the Amazon,

01:27home to the world's largest rainforest and a crucial carbon sink.

01:31Officials say upgrade to the port, costing about 45 million dollars, will leave a lasting legacy,

01:38making Otero ready for future tourism and trade.

01:42With this work, we bring a whole change, a change here to our region.

01:50Because you have new opportunities for business,

01:53you have new opportunities for generating jobs and income,

01:57so it brings significantly changes to the population paraense, to the Amazon region.

02:05It is a work that initially was designed to meet the COP30 demand,

02:11but it will leave a great legacy to the region.

02:16While some delegates complain of cramped cabins and long commutes,

02:20many others term the experience as memorable.

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