Hydroelectric Plants Construction, Rainforest Landscape Change, and Impacts on Indigenous, and Traditional Groups in Amazonia: From Balbina, Tucuruí to Belo Monte Contexts

Abstract

This article examines dams’ constructions in Brazilian Amazonia, their impacts on traditional and Indigenous peoples, biodiversity, and landscape. Balbina, Tucurui and Belo Monte Dams built in the middle of Amazonia draw special attention. The history of occupation and development of Brazilian Amazonia has been a continuum of anthropogenic interventions on nature, landscape, natural resources, and of ‘assault’ on autochthonous populations—indigenous and traditional ones. It has been a development with a predominance of negative impacts. In Brazil, such interventions have become more intense since the 1930s as the government envisaged the colonization of Amazonia as a way of promoting its regional integration and securing national sovereignty. Since 2007 there has been in course an ambitious government program called,’Growth Acceleration Program’ (PAC), for building and expanding road networks, river harbors, and riverways in jungle areas, and PAC has replicated many aspects of devastating developmental programs and policies of the past. By taking into account these issues and concerns, the article provides a critical review of the impacts caused by anthropogenic interventions in the region. The article critically and qualitatively examines the literature and case studies, and it seeks to crisscross pertinent information in official documents, news reports, and papers. The findings show that development in Amazonia has been historically problematic due to lack of acceptable environmental and social shares, compensations, ecological footprints, and because of failures of development policies and institutions. The gains and losses on installing mega hydropower dams have been a disputable issue in Amazonia demanding alternative energy production. This can include innovative, low-impacting, hydropower energy production system; changes in dams’ construction engineering as well as the installation of mixed energy sources, such as hydro, solar, wind, and biomass, at a regional level, as a driver for technologically advancing energy production and promoting development on more sustainable grounds.