Environmental Impact Assessment of reservoir construction: new perspectives for restoration economy, and development: the Belo Monte Power Plant case study

Abstract

The Environmental Impact Assessment of reservoir construction can be viewed as a new strategic perspective for the economic development of a region. Based on the principles of a watershed approach a interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary systemic view including biogeophysiographical, economic and socio environmental studies the new vision of a EIA provides a basic substratum for the restoration economy and an advanced model for the true development much well ahead of the modernization aspects of the project of a reservoir construction.Keywords: watersheds, reservoirs, development, restoration economy. Avaliação de Impacto Ambiental da construção de reservatórios: novas perspectivas para a economia da restauração e desenvolvimento, regional: o estudo de caso Belo Monte (UHE) ResumoA Avaliação de Impacto Ambiental (AIA) de reservatórios em construção deve ser considerada como uma nova perspectiva estratégica para o desenvolvimento regional muito mais avançada do que a modernização produzida pela infraestrutura. Baseada no princípio de abordagem sistêmica, interdisciplinar e multidisciplinar incluindo a base biogeofisiográfica, e estudo sócio ambientais, a nova visão da AIA promove um substrato básico para a economia da restauração e para um nível avançado de desenvolvimento muito além do mero processo de modernização produzido pela construção do reservatório. Estas mudanças de paradigma conceitual em governança, economia e sustentabilidade são fundamentais para o desenvolvimento avançado do país.Palavras-chave: bacia hidrográfica, reservatórios, desenvolvimento, economia da restauração.

What Does the Academic Research Say About Impact Assessment and Environmental Licensing in Brazil?

“…Regarding the Belo Monte project -the latest controversial large dam in the Amazon -there are papers discussing the weaknesses in citizen participation, especially indigenous peoples (Hochstetler, 2011;Jaichand;Sampaio, 2013) uncertainties in the studies (Sousa Júnior;Reid, 2010), capacity to mitigate negative effects (Berchin et al, 2005), and one paper highlighting Number of papers the positive aspects of this project (Tundisi et al, 2015). The case of Tucuruí hydropower, the first very large dam build in the Amazon, is explored regarding the social costs of project implementation, such as the displacement of local and indigenous populations, fisheries collapse, and impacts on population health (Fearnside, 1999;Monosowski, 1990).…”

Reservoir management: an opinion to how the scientific community can contribute

“…In addition to consulting firms, that predominantly perform activities of this nature, the contributions of the academic community can be made from the time of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), before the reservoir formation (Tundisi et al, 2015). In this case, typical contributions have the following objectives (Paiva & Salles, 1977;Garzon, 1984;Ploskey, 1985): (i) to characterize river basins and areas that would be directly affected (diagnostic phase); (ii) to list and classify environmental impacts due to the filling of reservoirs (prognosis phase); (iii) to promote the development of multiple water usages plans (e.g.…”

Introducing an Efficient System for Assessing Solutions for Damage Reduction From Dam Construction on Semi-Arid Forest Areas

“…Today, the description of interrelations and the evaluation of their effects, especially the environmental and social effects of dam development, has become an important issue that plays a role in the sustainable development of communities and natural resources. Therefore, its inclusion in a systematic and integrated approach to a project based on sustainable development is important (Tundisi et al 2015).…”