Hydroelectric dams and Amazonian traditional peoples: elements for a preliminary and introductory prognosis

/in , /by

Rios, Terras e Culturas: aprendendo com o Sistema Socioecológico do Tocantins (Rivers, lands and cultures: Learning from the Tocantins Social-ecological System)

Juliana Laufer; Elineide E. Marques; Simone Athayde; A. Christine Swanson; Ana Daisy A. Zagallo (Orgs.)

The third section of this ebook, “Speaking to the experts (the experience of researchers)”, consists of four chapters, adapted from experts’ talks at the workshop.

Chapter 3.1 talks about “Hydroelectric dams and Amazonian traditional peoples: elements for a preliminary and introductory prognosis”. The text shows, through the information extracted from the National Energy Plan – PNE 2030, produced by EPE, that the Amazon is the new frontier for hydroelectric power generation. The northern region of Brazil has 343 (more than 50%) of 676 total indigenous territories in the countries, and yet is at the center of the national efforts to expand hydroelectric plants. In view of this, concerns are raised with Indigenous and Quilombola communities, as well as riverside dwellers, fisherpeople and a whole range of communities that may be impacted by these ventures. This full range of affected people and communities are not considered in the criteria that define environmental restrictions. By 2015, the Palmares Cultural Foundation has identified 2,607 Quilombola communities in Brazil. However, according to data from the same year, only 73 communities had their land recognized. This demonstrates another serious problem with the implementation of hydroelectric dams: there is no security for these communities after the dams are built, and the government refuses to recognize Quilombola and Indigenous areas because of the energy expansion policies.

A terceira seção do e-book- “Conversando com os especialistas (A experiência dos pesquisadores)”, é composta por quatro textos, editados a partir das conferências dos especialistas do workshop.

O capítulo 3.1, fala sobre “Hidrelétricas e povos tradicionais na Amazônia: elementos para um prognóstico preliminar e introdutório”. O texto mostra, através das informações extraídas do Plano Nacional de Energia – PNE 2030, produzido pela EPE, que a Amazônia é a nova fronteira de geração de energia hidrelétrica. O Brasil possui 676 terras indígenas e a região norte comporta 343 dessas áreas, ou seja, mais de 50%, e é exatamente a região que está no centro desse projeto de expansão das hidrelétricas. Diante disso, são apresentadas preocupações com comunidades indígenas e quilombolas, e também os ribeirinhos, pescadores e toda uma série de comunidades que poderão ser impactadas por esses empreendimentos, e que não são considerados nos critérios que definem restrições ambientais. Até 2015, a Fundação Cultural Palmares tinha levantado 2.607 comunidades quilombolas no Brasil. Todavia, segundo dados do mesmo ano, somente 73 comunidades tiveram suas terras reconhecidas. Isso nos mostra um outro lado desse grave problema do avanço das hidrelétricas: nós não temos uma segurança para o que ocorrerá com essas comunidades após os empreendimentos e o governo se recusa a reconhecer áreas quilombolas e indígenas em decorrência dessa política de expansão energética.

Link: https://www.editorafi.org/19rios

For each chapter the version in Portuguese is followed immediately by the version in English.

New paper on rethinking dams / in-stream turbines

/in , /by

New paper out in the journal Nature Sustainability: In-stream turbines for rethinking hydropower development in the Amazon basin by Suyog Chaudhari, Erik Brown, Raul Quispe-Abad, Emilio Moran, Norbert Müller & Yadu Pokhrel.

Abstract
Given growing energy demands and continued interest in hydropower development, it is important that we rethink hydropower to avoid detrimental socioenvironmental consequences of large dams planned in regions such as the Amazon River basin. Here, we show that ~63% of total energy planned to be generated from conventional hydropower in the Brazilian Amazon could be harnessed using in-stream turbines that use kinetic energy of water without requiring storage. At five of the nine selected planned dam sites, the entirety of energy from planned hydropower could be generated using in-stream turbines by using only a fraction of the river stretch that large dams would affect. We find the cost (US$ kWh−1) for in-stream turbines to be ~50% of the conventional hydropower cost. Our results have important implications for sustainable hydropower development in the Amazon and worldwide through transition to power generation methods that meet energy needs while minimizing the negative socioenvironment impacts.

Chapter 2.3: River values, uses and decision-making

/in , /by

Os rios estão intimamente ligados à vida das pessoas, às estratégias de subsistência e à espiritualidade, além de abrigar uma impressionante diversidade de seres, culturas e relações humanas. O capítulo 2.3 “Valores e usos dos rios e tomada de decisão”, relata um exercício realizado com participantes da Rede Internacional de Pesquisa em Barragens Amazônicas durante o workshop Palmas 2018, enfocando os valores, métodos e métricas dos rios para avaliar esses valores e implicações para o gerenciamento e a tomada de decisões. Os participantes foram convidados a descrever três aspectos que mais valorizam em um ambiente fluvial e a declarar como eles mediriam, descreveriam ou monitorariam esses valores. A discussão e a análise evidenciaram a natureza pluralista dos valores mantidos pelos grupos humanos em conexão com os ambientes fluviais, cuja mensuração, avaliação e realização exigem uma diversidade de métodos e métricas, análises participativas de trade-off e processos adaptativos.

Rivers are closely connected to people’s lives, livelihood strategies and spirituality. The interconnected web of Amazonian rivers, forests and savannas is home to an impressive diversity of people, cultures and human relationships. The chapter 2.3 “River values, uses and decision-making”, reports on an exercise conducted with Amazon Dams International Research Network participants during the 2018 Palmas workshop, focusing on river values, methods and metrics to assess these values, and implications for management and decision-making. This article Participants were asked to describe three aspects they most value in a river environment, and to state how they would measure, describe or monitor these values. Discussion and analysis provided evidence for the pluralistic nature of values held by different groups in connection to river environments. Measurement, assessment and realization of these values requires a diversity of methods and metrics, participatory trade-off analyses and adaptive processes.

Download Link: https://www.editorafi.org/19rios

We note that for each chapter the Portuguese version is followed immediately by the English version.

A river unites indigenous peoples of the Americas: a cultural exchange on the legacy of the impacts of hydroelectric dams on the Colorado and Tocantins rivers

/in , /by
“A river unites indigenous peoples of the Americas: a cultural exchange on the legacy of the impacts of hydroelectric dams on the Colorado and Tocantins rivers” is the second chapter of Section 2 of the E-book.
The text summarizes intercultural exchange activities carried out between the Indigenous Xerente peoples and representatives of the Indigenous North American peoples of the Navajo Nation, the Colville Tribes Confederation, and the Pascua Yaqui tribe, in addition to Brazilian and American teachers, researchers and students of various areas, universities and institutions of the United States and Brazil. During the tour, participants gathered to exchange experiences related to territorial management and rivers in general and, more specifically, the socioecological effects of building hydroelectric dams on indigenous lands, rivers and local ways of life. The Xerente and Indigenous visitors exchanged tributes and gifts, and the Xerente submitted a memorandum of intention expressing their gratitude and willingness to continue promoting and participating in exchanges like this.
We note that for each chapter the Portuguese version is followed immediately by the English version.

Learning from the other: perceptions and exchanges of knowledge on a field trip to traditional communities downstream of the Power Plant Lajeado hydroelectric (Tocantins River, Brazil)

/in , /by

The second section of the e-book, titled ′′ Transdisciplinary Learning “, comprises three articles, in this post we’ll talk about the first ′′ Learning from the other: perceptions and exchanges of knowledge on a field trip to traditional communities downstream of the Power Plant Lajeado hydroelectric (Tocantins River, Brazil) “.

This text brings the perception of academics and non-academics who participated in a field activity in the municipality of Miracema do Tocantins (Brazil), in an excerpt of the Tocantins River about 20 km downstream of the Lajeado Hydroelectric Power Plant, for the purpose to stimulate the exchange of knowledge between professionals from different areas and fishermen and fishermen and residents rivers of the region. Interaction between the participants took place freely during the river boat trip. The perception of those involved was recorded before and after the activity was carried out. The initiative showed the importance of the field for understanding socio-environmental issues and the expectation of return created in the community from opening dialogue.

Download Link: https://www.editorafi.org/19rios

We note that for each chapter the Portuguese version is followed immediately by the English version.

Assessment of inter-and trans-disciplinary collaboration between participants of the International Network of Amazon Dam Research (RBA): initial results of the Palmas workshop

/in , /by

The latest article in the first section of the e-book is an ′′Assessment of inter-and trans-disciplinary collaboration between participants of the International Network of Amazon Dam Research (RBA): initial results of the Palmas workshop”. The lifting showed that network members generally conduct a positive attitude towards international research and collaboration and currently engage or have engaged in multi, inter and transdisciplinary work.

It also showed that most network researchers are strongly connected to each other, both collaborating and communicating about dam related works. Thus, initial discoveries indicate that the RBA is developing inter-and trans-disciplinary collaboration, as evidenced in the various ways in which different members interact with researchers from different disciplines, along with government and community entities.

Download Link: https://www.editorafi.org/19rios

We note that for each chapter the Portuguese version is followed immediately by the English version.

Making academic language more accessible to people who have no contact with scientific writing

/in /by

Neste vídeo, um grupo de estudantes apresenta resultados de um projeto cujo objetivo é tornar a linguagem acadêmica mais acessível às pessoas que não têm contato com a escrita científica. Trata-se de uma importante ferramenta de governança para auxiliar na consciência da comunidade geral sobre questões pertinentes inacessíveis, contribuindo no processo de decisão livre e consciente no debate público, nesse específico caso, sobre as consequências de projetos hidrelétricos.

In this video, a group of students present results of a project whose objective is to make academic language more accessible to people who have no contact with scientific writing. It is an important governance tool to help raise awareness among the non-scientists in the community about pertinent but often inaccessible issues and to contribute to enabling greater free and informed decision-making process in public debate, in this specific case, about the consequences of hydroelectric projects.

Elaborado pelo Grupo de Pesquisa em Direito, Território & Amazônia- DITERRA, Fundação Universidade Federal de Rondônia- UNIR
Autores: Neiva Araujo, Luís Fernando Novoa Garzon, Amanda Serafim, Anny Karolline Valério, João Victor Carneiro e Vânia dos Santos

Link: https://youtu.be/gcvbmEokypE

Ictio: an application for registering fisheries and an integrated database, producing a powerful tool to generate info across the Amazon Basin

/in /by

Reconhecendo que o ecossistema amazônico está interconectado e requer uma visão local, regional e global, a Rede Ciência Cidadã para a Amazônia trabalha para gerar evidências científicas para informar as decisões de maneira custo-efetiva, promovendo a construção de um público informado em favor da conservação. As estratégias de monitoramento participativo com pescadores, que vivem os impactos em suas rotinas e conhecem os peixes, são fundamentais. Nesse sentido, esse vídeo apresenta o Ictio, um aplicativo para registro de pescas e uma a base integrada de dados, que é resultado desse esforço e uma ferramenta poderosa para gerar informação em escala de Bacia Amazônica. Os usuários podem visualizar e compartilhar seus dados, e rastrear espécies que capturam ao longo do tempo. Com a informação gerada em escala, busca-se aprofundar a compreensão dos padrões de migração de peixes prioritários. Pescadores do Madeira, assim como de outros pontos da Bacia Amazônica usam o aplicativo desde 2018.

Recognizing that the Amazon ecosystem is interconnected and requires a vision at local, regional and global scales, the Citizen Science Network for the Amazon works to generate scientific evidence to inform decision making in a cost-effective manner and promotes the development of an informed public in favor of conservation. A fundamental approach is participatory monitoring strategies with fishermen, who have experienced dam impacts on their daily lives and are knowledgeable about fish and fisheries. In line with this approach, this video presents Ictio, which is an application for registering fisheries and an integrated database, producing a powerful tool to generate information across the Amazon Basin. Users can view and share their data and track species they capture over time. With the information generated at scale, we seek to deepen the understanding of migration patterns of key fish species. Fishermen from Madeira and other parts of the Amazon Basin have used the app since 2018.

Ciência Cidadã para Amazônia: Conhecer para Conservar (Citizen Science for the Amazon: Discover to improve lives and conservation)

Link: youtu.be/jJlpdbFLN00

Documentary: efforts of World Fish Migration Foundation, consequences of dam construction in Europe

/in /by

Veja o documentário sobre os esforços da World Fish Migration Foundation, diante das consequências da construção de barragens na Europa. Pao e equipe trabalham juntamente com gestores e atores locais em busca de alternativas para a recuperação dos rios europeus e demolição/remoção das represas para recuperar os impactos negativos após inúmeras construções de barragens, incluindo declínio e extinção de espécies, no século passado.

Watch the documentary on the efforts of the World Fish Migration Foundation discussing the consequences of dam construction in Europe. Pao and her team work together with local managers and actors in search of alternatives for the recovery of European rivers including the demolition/removal of dams to recover from the negative impacts of the construction of countless dams, including species declines and extinctions, in the last century.

Pao Fernandez Garrido
World Fish Migration Foundation (Netherlands)
Link: https://youtu.be/I9f1WDLg89Q

Debate sobre conhecimento e políticas públicas: desafios e oportunidades para melhorar a tomada de decisão e a governança socioambiental na Amazônia

/in , /by

O terceiro artigo do e-book “Rios, Terras e Culturas: Aprendendo com o Sistema Socioecológico do Tocantins”, fala sobre como diferentes conhecimentos e políticas públicas voltados ao desenvolvimento de projetos de infraestrutura da Amazônia estão conectados a partir de diversas perspectivas. Os setores não governamentais indicam desconexão entre a tomada de decisões sobre infraestrutura e o conhecimento científico e indígena relacionado às áreas de impacto, e recomendam a expansão da pesquisa baseada em sistemas, envolvendo as comunidades locais como colaboradores de pesquisa, ampliando os esforços para monitorar os impactos e promovendo a colaboração e comunicação entre os setores em múltiplos estágios, desde a consulta inicial até o processo de monitoramento de impacto.

Link para Download: https://www.editorafi.org/19rios

Ressaltamos que para cada capítulo a versão em português é seguida imediatamente pela versão em inglês.

 

Knowledge and policy debate: challenges and opportunities for improving socio-environmental decision-making and governance in the Amazon

The third article of the e-book “Rivers, Lands and Cultures: Learning from the Socioecological System of Tocantins” discusses how different types of knowledge and public policies related to the development of infrastructure projects in the Amazon are connected. The non-governmental sectors suggest there is a disconnect between infrastructure decision-making and the scientific and Indigenous knowledge related to the areas of impact. All sector participants agreed on the desire for more collaboration, particularly in the early planning stages of projects. Recommendations emphasize expanding systems-based research, involving local communities as research collaborators, extending efforts to monitor impacts, and furthering collaboration and communication between sectors at multiple stages, from initial consultation to the impact-monitoring process.

Link: https://www.editorafi.org/19rios

We emphasize that for each chapter the version in Portuguese is followed immediately by the version in English.