A major environmental disaster: The Belo Monte Dam

Swimming Against the Current: The Belo Monte Dam

www.theargentimes.com< br />

The recent government approval of a controversial dam project on one of the Amazon river’s tributaries in Brazil has caused anger and protest from groups as wide ranging as indigenous activists who will see their entire way of life turned upside down
A report by WWF-Brazil, stated that Brazil could cut its expected demand for electricity by 40% by 2020 through investment in energy efficiency. The power saved would be equivalent to 14 Belo Monte dams and would save $14USD in lost energy.

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
www.amazonwatch.org
news.bbc.co.uk
en.wikipedia.org

[edit on 20-5-2010 by The Dad]

It looks like the Belo Monte Dam in Brazil is going ahead. It will be the worlds third largest Dam. It will displace @ 20,000 indiginous indians, flood 400 sq kilometres of precious rain forest and cut off the supply of water down stream to many people, animals and rain forest.
This is an environmental crime on an enormous scale. If the Brazillain government calculated that their energy demands require this, then hey, at least its green(ish) eneergy. But, the country can save the equivqlent of 14 Belo Dams just by being more efficient in their eneery supplies. Come on, lets wake up everyone. The costs here are too great. Lets hope the like of James Cameron who is against this can put some more wait behind this and foce Brazil to see sense.
I need to deve into this a bit more to see who is finacing this outrageous project.

extract from en.wikipedia.org...

The IBAMA report - Not to be confused with Obama !
The IBAMA's enviromental impact assessment, currently disregarded by the Minister of Mines and Energy of Brazil, has listed the following possible interventions:

1.The generation of expectations towards the future of the local population and indigenous people;
2.The increase in population and the uncontrolled occupation of the soil;
3.The increase in the needs of services and goods, as well as the job offer;
4.The loss of housings and economic activities due to the transfer of population;
5.Improvements on the accessibility of the region;
6.Changes in the landscape, caused by the installation of support and main structures for the construction of the dam;
7.The loss of vegetation and natural spaces, with changes in fauna and flora;
8.Changes in the quality and path of the water supply;
9.Temporary disruption of the water supply in the Xingu riverbed for 7 months;
10.Damage to the archeological estate in the area;
11.Permanent flooding of shelters in Gravura Assurini;

THE DAD

www.theargentimes.com< br /> (visit the link for the full news article)

Just to add.....

Everyone knows that finding a renewable source of energy is crucial to wean the world off fossil fuels and cut carbon emissions, but what are we willing to sacrifice for clean energy?

The indiginous Indians have made a plea to the world for help!

Read their plight

www.internationalrivers.org...

Also, Brazil has been embracing hydro-electricity over the past decade and there are plans for at least 70 other dams in the region, though not on the scale of Belo Monte.

Some interesting facts:

Belo dam will be built on the Xingu River in the Amazon basin
It will be 1979 km in length
Will displace 14,000 indiginous people & 9 ethnic groups
Cost @ $17 billion
Power 23 million homes
Flood 500 sq km of rain forest
12,000 people to be relocated
40,000 affected by dam's construction
River diversion will leave indiginous communities along a 130km stretch without water, fish or transport
18% of the amazon rainforest has disappeared since 1960 - twice the area of California

www.euinfrastructure.com...


What is the environmental cost of this project...are some projects just too damaging to be undertaken. Although thats easy for me to say here in the UK with all my gadgets etc. But the new reservior built near me did not diplace 20,000 locals and flood 500 sq km of rain forest teaming with rare and beautiful plants & animals.

THE DAD

[edit on 20-5-2010 by The Dad]