Exclusive-Lula pushes Brazil-Indonesia-Congo COP forest alliance if elected

FILE PHOTO: Former Brazilian President and current presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Sao Paulo, Brazil August 29, 2022. REUTERS/Carla Carniel/File Photo

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's aides are reaching out to Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to form a united front of countries with the most tropical rainforest at this year's U.N. climate talks if the leftist wins a new term.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP27, will be held in November in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. Lula is the frontrunner in opinion polls ahead of Brazil's October election.