The Politics of Environmental Licensing: Energy Projects of the Past and Future in Brazil

Abstract

How do societies make complex choices about concrete energy alternatives? Can citizens play effective roles in balancing risks and benefits? This article proposes that energy choices can be best understood as the result of a balance of power between state-society coalitions that aim to either block or enable the project. Environmental licensing and financing decisions are two decision points where the coalitions face off-and where energy projects go forward or are stopped. The article demonstrates that environmental licensing has become an unexpectedly stringent process in Brazil, with both formal opportunities and historic practices increasing the influence of blocking coalitions. Yet case studies of the Belo Monte hydroelectric dam and massive new petroleum reserves in the "pre-salt" region show that blocking coalitions emerge inconsistently in the same institutional context, illustrating the hazards of relying on public mobilization for addressing certain kinds of risk situations. An "anticipatory state" may also pre-empt mobilization by proactively responding to the concerns blocking coalitions are likely to raise.Keywords Brazil . Energy politics . Environmental licensing . Citizen participation While millions of gallons of oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico in the summer of 2010, dilemmas that often go unnoticed became headlines. How are choices made about the evident risks of energy production? How are costs balanced against the benefits of the energy produced? Who acquires risks, and who is likely to benefit? Perhaps most important, who should participate in this balancing exercise, and how? What roles can citizens effectively play?This article approaches those questions with a case study of Brazil. As the Brazilian state anticipates a period of economic growth, the Ministry of Mines and Energy has completed its decadal plan for expanding Brazil's energy sources accordingly (Ministério de Minas e Energia 2010). The current energy matrix is St Comp Int Dev (2011) 46:349-371

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).…”

Dependence of hydropower energy generation on forests in the Amazon Basin at local and regional scales

“…When completed, BMHCcurrently under construction-will be the world's third largest hydropower complex. The project has been under discussion within Brazil and internationally for over 35 y (27). It is controversial because of its predicted impacts on indigenous and nonindigenous communities in the area affected by the dam and its reservoirs (27,28), because the annual dry season restricts river discharge several months of every year (27), and because of its high economic risk (29).…”

“…The project has been under discussion within Brazil and internationally for over 35 y (27). It is controversial because of its predicted impacts on indigenous and nonindigenous communities in the area affected by the dam and its reservoirs (27,28), because the annual dry season restricts river discharge several months of every year (27), and because of its high economic risk (29). The river's seasonality could be partially addressed through large reservoirs further upriver to retain rainy season water flow to be released during periods of low flow, but this could increase negative impacts on local communities and Amerindian populations as well as the river ecosystem itself and was an important reason previous plant designs were eventually abandoned (28).…”

Conflitos e negociações entre a indústria do petróleo e a conservação da Mata Atlântica no Litoral Norte de São Paulo, Brasil

“…O licenciamento ambiental, como principal mecanismo regulatório da questão ambiental de empreendimentos econômicos e de infraestrutura no Brasil, tem sido o instrumento da Política Nacional de Meio Ambiente (PNMA) mais relacionado aos conflitos ambientais no país (Zhouri & Oliveira, 2007;Agra Filho, 2010;Zhouri & Laschefski, 2010;Hochstetler, 2011;) Os dados documentais e de entrevista passaram por análise e descrição objetiva, sistemática e qualitativa do conteúdo (Bardin, 1977). A análise de conteúdo desse material focou nos modos de participação, envolvimento e posicionamento desses atores no processo de licenciamento ambiental.…”