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The Brazilian environmental agency, IBAMA, has announced the licensing process to build the São Luiz do Tapajós (SLT), a giant dam planned for one of the last major free flowing rivers in the Brazilian Amazon, has been cancelled. Without the license, the approval process for the megadam cannot move forward.
If allowed to continue the megadam would have caused irreversible damages to the environment and the Munduruku People’s way of life.
In the last few months, more than 1.2 million people around the world joined the Munduruku to say no to the SLT dam and pressure multinational companies like Siemens to distance themselves from the project.
‘We Munduruku people are very happy with the news. This is very important for us. Now we will continue to fight against other dams in our river.
ARNALDO KABÁ MUNDURUKU
General Chief Munduruku
Other Brazilian agencies – FUNAI (National Indigenous Foundation) and federal public prosecutors in the state of Pará – have recommended IBAMA cancel the license because the project would displace the Munduruku, making it unconstitutional in Brazil.
Part of the Munduruku Indigenous land – Sawré Muybu, which is in the process of been officially recognised as Indigenous land – would be flooded by the dam.
‘This is a great victory for the Munduruku Indigenous People who live in the Tapajós region and whose traditions and rights were deeply threatened by the dam and for everyone who cares about the Amazon forest and support the Munduruku globally.’
DANICLEY AGUIAR
Greenpeace Brazil campaigner
In addition to the São Luiz do Tapajós, there are 42 hydrodam projects planned in the Tapajós basin and hundreds earmarked in the Amazon, part of an aggressive economic model that fails to consider the critical importance of protecting the Amazon forest and its inhabitants.
Previous dams built in the Amazon had significant negative impacts on communities, the environment and have been mired in corruption scandals.
Greenpeace is calling on the Brazilian government to complete the Munduruku territorial demarcation immediately. Brazil must focus on truly renewable ways of increasing its energy matrix and become a world leader in wind and solar.
‘Now that the license has been cancelled, the Brazilian Ministry of Justice must recognise its obligation and move swiftly to officially demarcate the Sawré Muybu territory.’
DANICLEY AGUIAR
Greenpeace Brazil campaigner
With the right investments, it is possible to generate the same amount of energy that São Luiz do Tapájós would produce by harnessing the power of wind and sun.
Click here for the latest updates on Greenpeace’s work in the Amazon.
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