Review of:
Fearnside,
P.M. 2006. Dams in the Amazon: Belo Monte and Brazil’s Hydroelectric
Development of the Xingu River Basin. Environmental Management. Available
online at: http://www.internationalrivers.org/files/attachedfiles/belo_monte_dec_making_em_01136.pdf
As most of you will know, Brazil is a country that holds a special
place in my heart. Having spent more than 9 months collectively there in the
last 4 years, it is a country that I would be proud to call my second home.
Brazil,
like most countries, faces the common dilemma as to whether to continue to
expand and develop at a rapid rate, or whether to put a stop to development in
order to preserve its natural beauty and its immense biodiversity.
Unfortunately, like most countries, economics typically wins out over
conservation.
In
order to sustain such a rapidly growing country that depends so heavily on
industries such as aluminum manufacturing plants, vast amounts of energy are
required. In 1998, before the environmental assessment was finished, the building
of a huge hydroelectric dam in the Brazilian Amazon’s Indigenous land began.
Often times conservation topics are also very controversial political topics as
well. According to Brazilian law, before anything can be done in the
development of indigenous land, it first must go through a vote from all of the
National representatives. After years of this dam waiting in limbo, the dam was
suddenly approved with little to no public knowledge. The Belo Monte Dam has
been shut down and ceased operations several times since construction began but
is now being built at full steam after Brazil began putting electricity rations
on their citizens in 2001.
Although
Brazil does need the extra electricity that would be generated by the dam, the
impact suffered by the Amazon would be devastating. The Belo Monte Dam by
itself would have a small reservoir area or 440 km2, but the
upstream Altamira Dam that would regulate the flow of the Xingu River would
flood 6,140 km2 of the Amazon, part of which is in a provincial
park. That amount of flood land required to sustain such a massive Dam would account
for 3% of the Brazilian Amazon forest.
As
we know from previous classes, the Brazilian Amazon houses intense
biodiversity, and needs to be protected. Issues such as this one are faced
every day from countries that need to decide what really is best for the
country – protection or expansion. And as we all know, money makes the world go
‘round.
And because I didn't delve into the impact of locals, watch this! And... sorry for the depressing post!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0N9ECWCmOE
Damn dam. If Brazil needs electricity but the world needs more forest and biodiversity then why do economics and politics always win these disputes?
ReplyDeleteWow. That's a lot of rainforest that would be affected...
ReplyDeleteYikes!!!
ReplyDeleteI guess there are a lot of people in Brazil...
I couldn't figure out how to post my own comment. Ugh. Did you get to pet the capibaras?? Looks like they would enjoy some rising water levels...just kidding.
DeleteThe sad reality is that human greed will always take precedence over biodiversity. But I suppose nature is meant to be bent to our will, what with our species being superior in every way...
ReplyDeleteI wonder why the dam was suddenly approved, and why the result has to be flooding the Amazon. You'd think that there could be alternatives.
ReplyDeleteThe government had a switch over, and the flood is to increase the water pressure to electricity. They need to keep a reservoir at a certain level!
DeleteThis is sad. I wonder if there was a change in government when the damn was suddenly built. Do you know Em?
ReplyDeleteThats EXACTLY what happened!
DeleteThat's so crazy!!
DeletePS I love how you brought your experience into the post. I love seeing your Brazil pictures.
Very sad :( The impact of this dam is concerning. Unfortunately for a lot of things, if the public doesn't approve it (in a referendum, for instance), there are often many loopholes that can be jumped through in order to get it done anyways. When there is a will, there is a way...
ReplyDeleteI also wonder what's going on in their government, seems like they couldn't decide on what to do? maybe it was just a concern about money
ReplyDeleteToo bad Brazil's forests can't be made into a global resource subject to global rules and regulations.....
ReplyDeleteThat hydroelectric dam is stupid. I can't believe with little or no publication it was approved. I wonder what the repercussions will be.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a large dam, and a change to the area
ReplyDeleteThis is so sad. Think of all the biodiversity that will be affected!
ReplyDelete