On November 17, 2024, Joe Biden became the first sitting U.S. president to visit the Amazon rainforest. He traveled to Manaus, Brazil, where he toured the area in a helicopter, seeing the effects of a severe drought that has lowered water levels in the Amazon River. Biden visited the Museum of the Amazon and met with Indigenous leaders who are working to protect the rainforest. He was joined by Carlos Nobre, a Brazilian scientist who warned that the Amazon might be beyond saving due to deforestation. Biden also signed a proclamation for International Conservation Day and announced an additional $50 million donation to the Amazon Fund, bringing the U.S. total contribution to $100 million. This visit highlighted Biden`s commitment to addressing climate change, contrasting with President-elect Donald Trump, who has promised to roll back environmental protections. Biden was headed to Rio de Janeiro for a G20 summit after his visit to Manaus.