The Historical Trajectory of the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Plant's Environmental Licensing Process

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to present the historical trajectory of the hydroelectric plant of Belo Monte on the Xingu River. The plant, the third largest in the world and one of the most important works of the "Growth Acceleration Program" in Brazil, in the broader context, calls into question a developmental model and its implications for the energy planning in the Amazon region. The energy use of the Xingu River basin was also proposed during the military dictatorship in Brazil and, even after forty years is still emblematic for continuing to be full of controversies along its course. The initial premise of the research establishes that the lack of social and environmental impacts of the project followed the entire trajectory of Belo Monte and this case study brings important lessons for improvement of this instrument of Brazilian environmental policy.

Contested Knowledges: Large Dams and Mega-Hydraulic Development

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The Decentralization of Environmental Licensing as Perceived by Stakeholders in 84 Brazilian Municipalities

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O papel do licenciamento ambiental federal como ferramenta para gerir conflitos relacionados à biodiversidade aquática e pesca: o caso da UHE Belo Monte

“…Por outro lado, os problemas que envolvem as audiências públicas são conhecidos, referem-se ao baixo número de municípios contemplados, baixa apropriação do conteúdo pelos seus participantes, ao espaço precário e o tempo reduzido destinado aos interessados para exporem dúvidas e comentários (FAINGUELERNT, 2016;PEREIRA, 2014;HERNANDEZ;MAGALHÃES, 2011).…”