Project
Maíra Irigaray / Amazon WatchFazendo com que o Brasil se responsabilize pelos danos da represa Belo Monte
Quando em pleno funcionamento, Belo Monte será a terceira maior usina hidrelétrica do mundo, construída em um dos ecossistemas mais importantes do planeta: a floresta Amazônica. Localizada no rio Xingu, no Pará, um estado do norte do Brasil, o reservatório cobrirá mais de 500 quilômetros quadrados de florestas e terras agrícolas, uma área do tamanho da cidade de Chicago.
Para a população da Bacia do Xingu, a construção de Belo Monte tem significado a perda do acesso à água, à alimentação, à moradia, ao trabalho e ao transporte. Ao menos 20 mil pessoas serão deslocadas.
O governo e o consórcio encarregado do projeto começaram a construir a usina sem antes consultar primeiro as pessoas da região, muitas das quais são indígenas. Negligenciaram a normativa internacional de direitos humanos, a qual requer o consentimento prévio, livre e informado das comunidade indígenas afetadas. O Brasil também descumpriu as medidas cautelares outorgadas pela Comissão Interamericana de Direitos Humanos, as quais destinavam-se a proteger a vida, saúde e integridade das comunidades.
A represa começou a operar, ainda que não em plena capacidade. Recentemente um tribunal federal suspendeu a Licença de Operação do empreendimento devido à falta de cumprimento, por parte do consórcio, com as obras de saneamento básico em Altamira, cidade diretamente afetada pela hidroelétrica.
Consulta o expediente de fatos do caso
Partners:
Related projects
Our vision for a just future
Latin America is key to protecting biodiversity and combating the global climate crisis. Its forests, wetlands and marine ecosystems are among the most important carbon sinks on the planet, a service weakened by activities such as the exploitation and use of fossil fuels. At AIDA, we envision a region where the environment and communities, especially those in highly vulnerable situations, have lasting protections. To achieve this, we select precedent-setting cases that result in new, replicable tools and strategies that add to the protection of a healthy environment in the region. Having celebrated 25 years of working for the right to a healthy environment in the region, AIDA is poised to enter a new quarter century as a robust, multidisciplinary organization. In the coming years, we will continue and strengthen our pursuit of environmental and climate justice through two interconnected initiatives, each with defined lines of work: 1. Promotion of a just energy transition A just energy transition implies transforming the power relations between those who pollute the most and the rest of the world, avoiding the deepening of socio-environmental conflicts and protecting the rights of communities and people involved in energy generation processes. As this is an issue that cannot be addressed only at the national level, AIDA will contribute its regional vision to increase the scope of local and national decisions, enhance legal strategies, and strengthen a proposal for the continent’s transition. We will focus on: Avoiding dependence on oil and gas. Halting the extraction and use of coal. Promoting renewable and sustainable energies. Advocating for human rights-based climate finance and governance. 2. Protection of life-sustaining systems The ecosystem services that sustain life in Latin America and the world—including natural carbon capture and storage to mitigate the climate crisis, and the provision of clean food, air, and water - are at risk due to the lack of ambitious and effective actions. To ensure the livelihoods of life systems on the continent, both in rural communities and large cities, AIDA will focus its efforts on: Protecting the ocean, from the coasts to the high seas. Preserving freshwater sources and traditional territories. Defending culture and traditional livelihoods. Improving air quality. In the coming years, from our regional perspective, we will continue to contribute to solutions that center nature and communities, and that effectively address the continent’s social and environmental challenges.
Read more
The triple planetary crisis: What is it and what can we do about it?
You may have heard that humanity is facing "a triple planetary crisis.” In the words of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, this crisis "threatens the well-being and survival of millions of people around the world." But what exactly does it mean? The triple planetary crisis refers to three interrelated problems: climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. Each of these problems is a crisis with its own causes and effects, but all three converge and feed on each other. All three affect human rights, and more intensely impact people in vulnerable conditions. The climate crisis The United Nations considers climate change to be humanity's most urgent problem and the greatest threat to human rights. Climate change, which involves long-term changes to the planet's temperatures and weather patterns, can completely alter ecosystems. Although changes in climate can occur due to the natural patterns of the planet, what we are facing is caused by human activities. Since the Industrial Revolution, there has been an accelerated change in the planet's average temperatures. One of the primary causes of that change is the exploitation and use of fossil fuels. The climate crisis, then, refers to the consequences of climate change caused by human activities, which include: an increase in the intensity and severity of natural events such as droughts, fires, and storms; rising sea levels and the melting of the poles; changes in the hydrological and climatic cycles that affect biodiversity; and impacts on the enjoyment of human rights. The pollution and waste crisis The dominant economic system, dependent on consumption, implies the generation of high levels of pollution and waste that have a great impact on human and ecosystem health. Air pollution is the leading cause of disease and premature death worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that 7 million people die prematurely each year because of poor air quality. Air degradation is caused by emissions from factories, transportation, and forest fires. Those who lack access to less harmful technologies for cooking or keeping warm also breathe polluted air in their homes. Air pollution is related to climate change, as many of the emissions also warm the planet. Pollution caused by plastics and microplastics is another global concern, as it directly affects biodiversity. An increasing number of studies are finding that plastics are affecting the health of people and other living things. They take centuries to decompose, and are derived from petroleum, a fossil fuel. And we can’t forget pollution caused by extractive activities which, in addition to generating greenhouse gas emissions and leaving in their wake chemicals that are toxic to health, degrade freshwater sources and large tracts of land. The biodiversity loss crisis Biodiversity loss refers to the decrease and disappearance of biological diversity: flora, fauna, and ecosystems. This crisis is caused by the two previous crises, in addition to the overexploitation of resources and changes in land use—which cause overfishing, illegal hunting and trafficking, and deforestation—and the introduction of non-native and invasive species. This loss also implies the decline of many of the species on which we depend. Its impacts extend to affect food supplies and access to fresh water. One example is the Amazon, the world's largest tropical forest and a global climate stabilizer. It is home to 10 percent of the planet's known biodiversity and is the ancestral home of more than 470 indigenous and traditional peoples. The Amazon is endangered by colonization, deforestation, and extractive activities, among other threats. The situation is so serious that the point of no return for the Amazon, in which deforestation levels cancel out its capacity for regeneration, is no longer a future scenario. Actions to confront the triple planetary crisis The triple planetary crisis is a complex problem involving diverse stakeholders and requiring multidisciplinary solutions. Although local actions and individual lifestyle changes can help, many of the necessary actions require decisions on a global scale and profound changes to economic, political, and social systems. According to the United Nations, global actions to confront the crises must include: Limiting global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees: this means that global emissions should be reduced by 45 percent by 2030, with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Accelerating the expansion of clean renewable energies: to achieve the above, a drastic reduction in the use of fossil fuels is required to make way for energy systems based on renewable sources that are sustainable over time and respectful of the environment and people. In addition to combating climate change, this would reduce air pollution. Investing in adaptation and resilience: this means considering those who are already suffering the impacts of the climate crisis in the solutions, with emphasis on the nations, people, and communities in vulnerable situations and who are least responsible for these crises. Conserving and protecting 30 percent of the planet: this applies particularly to areas of biodiversity importance, including the ocean. It also implies actions to mitigate climate change. Improving the food system: this includes changes in irrigation and soil management, as well as producing healthier food and reducing food waste. Leaving no one behind: the measures described above must be carried out simultaneously and with a focus on protecting human rights, as they represent an opportunity to reduce the inequalities that are both a cause and a consequence of the crises. Making progress before the triple crisis These crises threaten not only our basic sources of livelihood, but even our mental health. And while much remains to be done, progress has been made that demonstrates the global cooperation needed to advance on a large scale. We’re happy to share some recent examples of global progress: The High Seas Treaty, designed to protect two-thirds of the ocean, was adopted in June 2023, and will need to be ratified by 60 countries before entering into force. The United Nations recognized the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as a universal right. 175 nations agreed to develop a global instrument to address plastic pollution. The steps we take as individuals help us to act locally: to live our values and contribute to our communities. But it’s also important we think globally, and demand that our representatives in decision-making bodies guarantee widespread participation and commit to taking key and concerted actions.
Read more
10 positive advances for the environment in Latin America in 2023
It has been a tumultuous year for the world in many ways, and the climate crisis remains one of the greatest challenges we face as a human race. However, it is always worthwhile to assess and recognize the progress made in the quest for environmental and climate justice. So, as we close 2023, let’s celebrate the agreements, decisions, and milestones that give us hope as we continue to defend the planet and all the creatures that call it home. 1. The world has a treaty to preserve life on the high seas. After two long weeks of final negotiations, and decades of previous work, United Nations member states have agreed on a High Seas Treaty to protect two-thirds of the ocean, representing nearly half of the surface of the planet. The new treaty will provide a blueprint for establishing protected areas on the high seas and for assessing and managing human activities that could affect life in this vast area. It will also help achieve the global goal of protecting 30 percent of the ocean by 2030. It has been signed by nearly 80 countries and is in the process of ratification to enter into force. 2. The Ecuadorian people decide to protect the Amazon. Ecuador held a popular consultation to decide whether to stop oil exploration in part of the Yasuní National Park, one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet. The great news is that about 60 percent of the population chose to protect this region of the Amazon, leaving some of the oil in the ground. By recognizing the value of a key ecosystem for stabilizing the global climate, this result transcends national boundaries. It is a hopeful sign of climate ambition that can drive the necessary just energy transition worldwide. 3. The UN recognizes activism for the right to a healthy environment. The United Nations has awarded the 2023 Human Rights Prize to the Global Coalition of Civil Society, Indigenous Peoples, Social Movements and Local Communities for the Universal Recognition of the Human Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment. The prize is awarded every five years, and this is the first time since its inception that it has been given to a global coalition. It recognizes the coalition's essential role in the recognition of the right to a healthy environment by the UN General Assembly in 2022, as well as decades of civil society efforts and spaces for public participation. 4. Support grows for moratorium on deep-sea mining. There is currently a call for the International Seabed Authority to pause negotiations on the regulation of undersea mineral exploitation while the necessary information is gathered to understand the impact of this extractive activity on the ocean, species, and people. Mexico was the most recent signatory in November, joining other countries of the region— including Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, and the Dominican Republic— in calling for a moratorium on deep-sea mining. You can join their efforts and learn more by following the hashtag #DefendTheDeep. 5. A Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty is in the making. Colombia, a major coal producer, was the first Latin American country to join the call for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, a global initiative to complement the Paris Agreement. Cities, elected officials, and international organizations such as the World Health Organization have joined the call. The goal of the proposal, led by Pacific Island countries, is to create a follow-up plan to halt the expansion of fossil fuel use and initiate a just transition. For more information, visit the Fossil Fuels Treaty website. 6. There are signs of hope for a "sacrifice zone" in Chile. Although much remains to be done, recent events give hope that things may be looking up in Quintero and Puchuncaví bays, whose residents have suffered decades of pollution from a series of companies. In May, after 58 years of operation, the furnaces and boilers of the Ventanas smelter were finally shut down. Similarly, the multinational company that owns the Ventanas II thermoelectric plant, also located in the bay, announced its definitive closure by the end of this year. Furthermore, the Supreme Court has issued three rulings related to the failure to comply with a 2019 judgment—which orders the state to adopt 15 measures to identify the sources of contamination and repair the environmental situation in the area—and provides tools for its enforcement. Read more about the case in Chao Carbón. 7. Court rules the Colombia must take concrete climate action. Within one year, Colombia's Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development must adopt concrete measures to adapt to and mitigate the climate crisis. This order was issued by the Council of State, a high court, as the result of a lawsuit alleging that the ministry had failed to comply with the climate commitments contained in national legislation. Colombia, as the largest exporter of thermal coal in Latin America, has an obligation to include in its climate commitments the real dimension of the impacts of extracting, transporting, and burning coal. This case could become a precedent for strategic and successful climate litigation at the regional and international levels. 8. Cajamarca, Colombia continues to set an example for environmental democracy. Popular consultations will be respected. A Colombian court made this clear by upholding the legality of the popular consultation in which the people of Cajamarca rejected AngloGold Ashanti's La Colosa gold mega-mining project. The ruling represents a triumph for participatory democracy and the defense of peasant territories against extractivism. It sets an important precedent for respecting other popular consultations throughout the country and serves as an example for the rest of the region. 9. A regional alliance to protect Andean wetlands is born. The Alliance for Andean Wetlands is a coalition of social and environmental organizations that aims to promote the protection and conservation of Andean wetlands, water, biodiversity, territories, and the lives of indigenous and campesino communities in Latin America, particularly in Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile. Andean wetlands— including salt flats, lakes, and lagoons —are globally recognized as ecosystems of high ecological and social importance. However, they are also very fragile and threatened by the climate crisis and by extractive activities such as the mining of lithium, copper, and other minerals considered "critical" for the transition to new forms of energy production. 10. AIDA celebrates 25 years of working for a healthy environment. This year we celebrate our 25th anniversary, a quarter century of defending the right to a healthy environment in Latin America. Our journey and our impact have been made possible by a great community of allies with whom we have worked and with whom we share this year of celebration. This milestone enabled us to reflect on our accomplishments, which are reflected in our 2023 Annual Report, and to define a vision for the coming years focused on the quest for climate and environmental justice in the region. Thank you for being part of these 25 years and the decades to come!
Read more