Trump breathing down his neck US President Joe Biden travels to the Amazon region for the first time

Trump breathing down his neck: Biden visits Amazon region - Gallery

Biden lands at the airport in Manaus.

Image: dpa

Biden is the first sitting US president to travel to the region.

Image: dpa

Biden takes a look at the Amazon from the air.

Image: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

Trump breathing down his neck: Biden visits Amazon region - Gallery

Biden lands at the airport in Manaus.

Image: dpa

Biden is the first sitting US president to travel to the region.

Image: dpa

Biden takes a look at the Amazon from the air.

Image: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

US President Joe Biden has arrived for his historic visit to the Brazilian Amazon region. It is the first visit by a sitting US president to Manaus on the banks of the Rio Negro in north-western Brazil. The 81-year-old took a look at the situation from the air on board a helicopter.

Biden is campaigning for the fight against climate change, but only has a few weeks left in office. His designated successor Donald Trump wants to increase oil production and turned his back on the Paris Climate Agreement during his first term in office.

The Amazon region is home to the largest tropical rainforest in the world. Large parts of this unique biosystem have already been destroyed by deforestation and slash-and-burn agriculture. Because the rainforest in the Amazon region can bind immense quantities of the greenhouse gas CO2, it is also of great importance for the global climate.

After his stop in Manaus, Biden travels on to the Brazilian coastal metropolis of Rio de Janeiro. The heads of state and government of leading economic powers from all continents are meeting there for their annual G20 summit. Biden had previously attended a meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Community (Apec) in Peru's capital Lima.

SDA