Brazilian Green Dilemma

Continuing the energy program of the Programa de Aceleração do Crescimento 2 (PAC-2) (in English: Growth Acceleration Program 2), the president Dilma Rouseff plans to deforest 5,3 thousands km² of the national forest, what is almost the same area, according to the “O GLOBO” journal, of Rio de Janeiro. The goal is to build 61 plants.

So, the deforestation is inescapable, because the work will take place in Amazônia Legal (In English: Official Amazon). Nine Brazilians states include this area. If the project is concluded, 42 thousand megawatts will enter in the national energy system.

Besides the new plants, the area in question will be cut by 2.615 km of railroads and by 1.601 km of streets. According to environmentalists, it won’t be good, because of the effect “fishbone”, when people start to live along the streets, increasing the impact in the area.

It’s a little bit funny, because if environmentalists, like Greenpeace and the Avatar cast, fight against the Belo Monte Dam (a hydroelectric plant that will be built in Amazônia), it seems they will have to fight much more now. These groups say that there are lots of ways to compensate the construction of these plants.

Some defend the maintenance of the energy system, others say that the energy is badly distributed, because the Southeast (region of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo), due to its development, receive more megawatts. And they say that if was necessary to build something, the wind energy would solve the problem.

The government says that this “green projects” are inefficient, or too expensive. Also, the government says that new energy project will contribute with the national development. And we can’t forget that, the Brazilian North states need new streets and railroads.

The problem has two faces. I think that, to grow, some sacrifices need to be done; however, we are in an era that preserve is a universal law. Our planet can’t lose his Great Lung, although this vital organ disturbing Brazil’s growth.

It’s a hard dilemma, and it’s much harder for a country that was considered the “greenest” nation by the COP-16 (Sixteenth United Nations Climate Change Conference). Therefore, Brazil is an excellent student at the subjects “Be Green” and “Socioeconomic Development”.

The impacts will happen anyway, but they can be smoothed with technology. However, as I always say in my texts, the technology investments are low in Brazil. Not only the USA, Canada, Australia and The European Union that make technology investments, China and India are doing the same too. So, why Brazil continues to base the economy in oil (one of the most polluted and delayed fuels, in the world)?

Maybe, technology investments can solve the hard dilemma that Brazilians are facing nowadays. 

Check out the text in Portuguese -  http://conversadasemana.blogspot.com/2011/01/o-dilema-verde-do-brasil.html


Another text in English - http://conversadasemana.blogspot.com/2011/03/european-brain-drain.html


En Español también - http://conversadasemana.blogspot.com/2011/02/el-desarrollo-en-mexico_6439.html