Questões

Time for global business to stop profiting from Amazon destruction

by Tica Minami - 13 April, 2016

Huge hydropower dams in the Amazon rainforest aren't just bad for Indigenous communities, biodiversity and the climate – they're bad for the companies involved. Here's why.

The Amazon is the world's largest remaining area of tropical rainforest, but every day it gets a little smaller – while big business profits get a little bigger. Over 750,000 km² of Amazon rainforest (an area larger than all of France) has already been destroyed by industrial agriculture, cattle ranching, illegal logging and infrastructure projects. And new threats keep coming: this time in the Tapajós River basin.

What's happening in the Tapajós?

The Brazilian government is planning a massive hydropower project for the Tapajós basin – over 40 medium or large dams, including one 7.6 km wide mega-dam. This dam alone would flood an area of rainforest the size of New York City, threatening the livelihoods of the Indigenous Munduruku People who have lived along the Tapajós River for centuries. The mega-dam – called São Luiz do Tapajós – doesn't just threaten local communities and ecosystems. It also harms the climate. Building the massive structure produces substantial emissions, as does the decay of flooded rainforest vegetation and soil.

Figure 1

So who would want to help build the São Luiz do Tapajós dam?

It takes huge amounts of capital and technology from companies all over the world to build a hydropower dam. Greenpeace Brazil has been investigating who might want to profit from this destructive project and released a new report on their findings – and on the risky nature of Amazon hydropower – today. So far, Greenpeace Brazil has found that the São Luiz do Tapajós dam is attracting the interest of a number of Brazilian and foreign energy companies. None of these companies have announced their intentions publicly yet, though.

What's at stake for companies who get involved with São Luiz do Tapajós dam?

The banks, insurers, suppliers and contractors that become involved in Amazon hydropower projects face serious financial and reputational risks. Hydropower dams attract international attention for their destruction to the environment and impacts on local communities. Moreover, these dams and other large government infrastructure projects have also recently been tied to corruption. Amazon destruction impacts all of us. People must act globally to stop this global project. Brazil's dash for Amazon hydropower is destined to fail its people while enriching a few. Wherever you are in the world, your voice matters. Add your name to help keep the Tapajos alive!

I am a tacher who is fascinated by educational technology; I put it on a high pedestal; I value it and all the opportunities it creates in the classroom. Why? What is it that makes me do so? I did not grow up with technology; what is it that triggered in me the urge to learn about it and integrate it in my teaching? As I reflect on that, just three words come to my mind: “You won’t understand!” A few years ago, I asked "a friend of mine" a question about the new desktop he had just purchased and, as he was in a hurry, the only answer he could come up with was, “You won’t understand!” I was mad! How could he tell me that?! And this is when my passion for technology exploration started. I taught myself how to type; how to use the word processor; how to use email; how to browse the Internet; and, finally, how to create and design web pages for educational purposes. I spent endless hours in front of that computer screen, and not once did I even feel like giving up.

As I was learning about technology, I started integrating it in my classrooms. I also taught my students how to create their own websites and publish their work. They were fascinated. They loved it! Suddenly, they were no longer working only "for the teacher" or "for a grade," they were working for a real, authentic audience. They started being extremely motivated to learn English as a Second/Foreign Language. Their whole attitude towards the language changed: it became the language of technology; the language of innovations; the language of new opportunities. I was thrilled to see my students thrive in my classes. I have always believed in John Dewey’s famous quote, "If we teach today as we taught yesterday, then we rob our children of tomorrow." So, it is our duty to teach today in a way that prepares our students for tomorrow. They are already halfway there... they have beaten us when it comes to technology; we should definitely catch up, and even more! It is crucial to acknowledge the importance of the role technology plays nowadays in schools. Integrating it in the classroom gives students the possibility of having a better future.