HYDROELECTRIC PLANTS AND CONSERVATION UNIT IN THE AMAZON

reflections on the Tapajós River basin

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4215/rm2021.e20017

Abstract

The expansion of hydroelectric plants (HEPs) in the Brazilian Amazon region attracts attention because of its several social, economic, and ecological impacts, and because its directly or indirectly affects institutional areas in charge of protecting biodiversity and traditional populations. Among the thirteen interlinked sub-basins of the Amazon river (on the Brazilian border), there are nine hydroelectric plants in operation and an
additional seventy five (75) are planned for construction, of which 60 per cent will be built in the Tapajos river basin. The objective of the article is to expose the economic appropriation of this basin, and the social and environmental expropriation taking place in the region. The analysis of these processes requires the spatial mapping of the existing and planned hydroelectric plants and areas officially protected, by hydrological basins. The result points at the confrontation between the developmentalist policies related to the construction of HEPs in the Amazon region and the environmental policies oriented, especially, to protected areas, which shows the social and environmental expropriation happening in this basin.

Keywords: Amazonia, Hydroelectric Plants, Conservation Units, Watersheds.

Author Biographies

  • Maria Madalena Aguiar Cavalcante, Universidade Federal de Rondônia
    PhD in Geography. Professor of the Department and Graduate Program in Geography at the Federal University of Rondônia. Leader of the Research Group on Geography and Spatial Planning in the Amazon (GOT-Amazônia). yours in the Research lines: Territory Planning and Management in the Amazon; Territorial Dynamics and Environment.
  • Gean Magalhães Costa, Federal University of Rondônia
    Master in Geography. Member of the Group of the Research Group on Geography and Spatial Planning (GOT-AMAZÔNIA) at the Federal University of Rondônia. Brazil.
  • Girlany Valéria Lima Silva, Federal University of Rondônia
    Maestro y estudiante de doctorado en Geografía en el Programa de Posgrado en Geografía (PPGG / UNIR). Miembro del Grupo de Investigación en Geografía y Ordenación del Territorio en la Amazonía (GOT- Amazônia) de la Universidad Federal de Rondônia. Brasil.
  • Artur Souza Moret, Federal University of Rondônia
    Doctor in Energy Systems Planning. Professor at the Federal University of Rondônia

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Published

2021-05-16

Issue

Vol. 20 (2021)

Section

Artigos

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