To the editor of my local newspaper, Hello, I am Kamaula Rowe, a female student who is thirteen years old. I have decided to write to you to discuss a topic I have been researching. I would like to discuss the building of the ‘Belo Monte Dam.’ I believe that the building of this dam should be halted, and that the Brazilian government should stop stop building dams. Many ‘mega dams’ are being built due to Brazil’s Accelerated Growth Programme. They are being built in a series, and the Belo Monte Dam is one of them. Stated in the article,” Belo Monte Dam,” by Survival International, “Brazil’s Accelerated Growth Programme, which aims to stimulate the country’s economic growth by building a huge infrastructure of roads and dams, mainly in the …show more content…
Brazil’s government believes that by building this dam, they will aid to Brazil’s economy, at least that’s the reason they say they are building the dam. The Belo Monte Dam would become the world’s third largest hydroelectric project on one of the amazon’s major tributaries, the Xingu River. The reason I am against the building of this dam and any other dam is because of the many adverse effects it will have on the environment and because of how it will affect certain people. Stated on the article”Belo Monte Dam” written by Internations Rivers, “Many Brazilians believe that if Belo Monte is approved, it will represent a carte blanche for the destruction of all the magnificent rivers of the Amazon - next the Tapajós, the Teles Pires, then the Araguaia-Tocantins, and so on. The Amazon will become an endless series of lifeless reservoirs, its life drained away by giant walls of concrete and steel.” I will discuss both the benefits of the dam and the costs …show more content…
Human rights of the igneous communities will be ignored, over 120,00 people are expected to be affected by the sam and 80% of the Xingu will be diverted in all,which will affect the river further downstream. Sediment that is removed from the river at the reservoir will increase the velocity of the river and hence erosion further downstream The reservoir will encourage the breeding and growth of mosquitoes which can spread malaria. Flooding of the rainforest is highly likely to occur, and it will disrupt ecosystems, potentially destroy unknown medical plants and vegetation left in the bottom of the reservoirs will emit methane. Due to this dam being built, breeding grounds for fish will be lost, as certain fish cannot migrate and certain turtle species will face the same dilemma. If the dam break to surrounding areas the outcomes will be devastating, so it’s a risk that should not be taken. If the dam is built many other dams-some say at least 6-will need to be built in order for the dam to be more efficient. This dam will cause electricity to fuel the mining and metal processes in Para state which will be dirty energy. The expense of the dam is more than just it’s cost, ten thousands of people will be needed to move. And to prove that this dam will affect igneous communities, UN Human Rights Council issued statements against the treatment of the indigenous communities . If the Belo Monte dam is built, further development
Federal Emergency Management Agency’s article, “Benefit of Dams” (2012) analyzes how dams prevent flooding by releasing the excess water in controlled amounts through floodgates (¶ 3).
Based on the events that lead to the devastating floods in Queensland and the eventual case that was brought against the engineers of the dam, there have been views from both sides of the divide as to whether or not the actions taken by the engineers were actually ethical or otherwise. We have explored this avenue and have found that both sides of the divide have good reasons to justify their actions. Firstly, we shall explore the avenue that the engineers decisions were appropriate and ethical. It can be said that the engineers did employ act utilitarianism in their decisions and actions, hence causing these decisions to be ethically correct. Act utilitarianism is essentially doing the right thing, which would benefit the majority of people, based on the situation that is currently taking place. One of the reasons that explains why the actions taken could be considered as ethically fine, was that if the dam was not opened, there would have been no other way to solve the increasing water levels in the dam. If no action was taken, there could have been seriously devastating effects, like the dam wall eroding due to water spilling over the dam wall, thus weakening the structure, or a loss of water flow control. Professor Hubert Chanson, a professor in hydraulic engineering in the University of Queensland, mentioned that the Wivenhoe Dam was actually designed as an embankment dam, hence it should not be overtopped, that is water should not be allowed to flow over the limits of the dam (Andersen 2011). Despite there being a secondary spillway, however it is recommended that spillway is not put to use, as the use of that spillway would mean that there would be a surge of water leaving the dam, and a loss of control of the water flow, w...
To ground this discussion one case that I will be referring to is a planned hydro-electric project in Chile. The proposed five dams are to be located in the Aysen region of Chile in sout...
“Because of the rapid growth experienced by this country in terms of urban development, industrialization and population at the beginning of the 21st century, Brazil is facing a number of social, environmental and political challenges” (Meyer 2010). Over the years, Brazils infrastructure has been a topic of concern as the quality and quantity of growth seem to be lacking. One might be familiar with the recent 2016 Olympics in Rio and how many complaints were made about the unfinished quarters where people were staying and how the under developed the city
After long, often bitter debate, archeologists have finally come to a consensus that humans reached southern Chile 12,500 years ago. The date is more than 1,000 years before the previous benchmark for human habitation in the Americas, 11,200-year-old stone spear points first discovered in the 1930s near Clovis, N.M.
The building of the dam has created a problem with the sedimentary flow along the Colorado River, and important aspect for creating and livable habitat for fish, plants, and other wildlife. Since the building of the damn, we have seen four fish species go extinct, and a few more on the brink
If the dam is so beneficial then why is it that all public debate on the issue has been banned since 1989, even for "…scientists and specialists"(Faison, 1997). This has probably been done to slow the process of or eliminate any opposition that may arise to this project. There are a few questions or "What if’s" about the dam, such as "What if the dam collapses?" or "What if during a war or conflict a bomb is dropped on the dam?" and since the dam is built on many seismic faults, will earthquakes be a problem? Besides all of these questions, there are numerous facts that should dissuade any proponent of the dam to insist on its construction. The dam besides hurting the environment, will also "…displace 1.3 million people."(Giaccia, 1997). These people were not asked to leave, they were told, and many of them still have not been compensated for their trouble, but this goes deeper than financial burdens. Individual rights have been violated, the government simply forced these people off their land and out of their homes and this affects children, families and livelihoods.
...ecause of the flooding. With more and more tourist going to see the dam every year, there is an underlining issue of, is the increase in tourism traffic going to be the downfall to the already critical environment? Tourists will be able to view more scenery, but at what cost? I believe building the Three Gorges Dam was a mistake and that the Chinese are just looking for an easier way of life at the expense of the environment. I kept reading about how it will make trading easier and how relocated farmers were told to farm citrus fruit when all they know is growing grains. Life might be easier for the government and the big trade industries, but it will not be easier for the people who have to work under those authorities and conditions. There will always be bias for something because the government has gone above what environmental organizations have suggested.
12 McMahon, Richard Jr. “Let’s not damn the dams.” The Business Journal January 28, 2000: 47.
... not acceptable. Could there of been another plan, size or location of the dam with less impact on the biodiversity, WE WILL NEVER KNOW!
Controversy About Belo Monte Dam Last few decades have witnessed the booming construction of dams all over the world, leading to prosperous economic growth because dams give people with flood control, hydrological power, waste management, recreation and river navigation. However, what makes human sad is that some severe environmental and social problems induced by constructing dams cannot be ignored. Belo Monte Dam, the fourth largest dam in the world, is a good example of “controversial dam” because it faces with many problems during construction, including environmental problems, social issues, and assessment concerns. Firstly, let me introduce the basic condition of Belo Monte Dam. It is located on the Xingu River in the state
Pottinger, Lori. "Environmental Impacts of Large Dams: African Examples." International Rivers. N.p., 1 Oct. 1996. Web. 04 May 2014.
The residents living downstream are also effected by the dam as they now have a change in the flow of the river water, this change being a slowing in the flow rate. The natural flow of the river is said to not be handled correctly as yet. Many animals have also been effected as their once home and grazing land has now been moved due to the construction of Spring Grove Dam. Despite all the negative impacts the dam has had, the residents of the area feel that the project has been an overall asset to the area and positive to the community and to our country as a whole.
Before even going into constructions politicians and the state would debate and assess the best procedures to benefit and maximize efficiency of power. Although there comes a catch, while in the midst of debating the government's only interest is furthering power supply demanding multiple dams be built that not only raises the cost but have huge detriments to the environment that cause significant damage. In the movie “Dam Nation” the producers explain on how the government issues such controls but in a negative light, for example when they kayak from different dams they are stopped by government officials to turn back and even warning them that what they are doing is a federal offense and as far to assume what they are doing is considered espionage. Dams can be seen a tragedy of commons due to its connection with the state and its problems that correlate to the structure. As seen already with the rise of cost it also lacks a proper scale of institution with the numerous amounts of dams being placed with no regard of the consequences.
IYER, R.I. (19X9) "Large Dams: The Right Perspective.' Economic and Political Weekly, 14, 107- 116.