AmazonFACE Project Simulates Future Climate to Study Rainforest Adaptation

• Scientists in Brazil are conducting a pioneering experiment called the AmazonFACE project to study how the Amazon rainforest will respond to rising carbon dioxide levels in the coming decades. The initiative, located near Manaus , aims to provide crucial data ahead of the COP30 UN Climate Summit to be held in Belem, Brazil, from November 10–21, 2025 .

Simulating Future Atmospheric Conditions

• The AmazonFACE site features six steel rings built above the forest canopy, each enclosing 50–70 mature trees. Three rings will be infused with elevated CO₂ levels expected by mid-century, while the others serve as controls. This setup allows scientists to observe how trees absorb carbon, release oxygen, and respond to temperature and rainfall changes—essential for predicting ecosystem resilience.

First-of-Its-Kind Tropical Experiment

• Funded by Brazil’s federal government and supported by the United Kingdom , the project is led by the National Institute for Amazon Research (INPA) and Universidade Estadual de Campinas . It is the first Free-Air CO₂ Enrichment (FACE) experiment of this scale in a tropical forest, expanding on similar studies previously conducted in temperate regions.

Monitoring and Climate Insights

• Sensors installed across the site collect real-time data every ten minutes on gas exchange, weather, and biodiversity. The experiment will simulate future microclimates to help scientists understand how tropical forests might function in a carbon-rich atmosphere by 2050.

Exam-Oriented Facts

• Project name: AmazonFACE (Amazon Free-Air CO₂ Enrichment)

• Location: Near Manaus, Brazil

• First tropical FACE experiment of this scale

• Linked event: COP30 UN Climate Summit, Belem, Nov 10–21, 2025

Guiding Global Climate Policy
Findings from AmazonFACE are expected to inform climate policies and conservation strategies at COP30, helping determine how the Amazon—one of the world’s largest carbon sinks—can continue to mitigate global warming in a changing climate.