A multidimensionalidade dos impactos da Usina de Itaipu Binacional: o que dizem as dissertações e teses

Abstract

Large hydroelectric projects such as the Itaipu Binational Hydroelectric Plant represent strategic energy solutions while simultaneously generating complex and multidimensional impacts on territories and affected populations. This study is justified by the need to understand, in a systematized and critical manner, the socio- environmental, sociocultural, and political impacts associated with the construction and operation of large hydroelectric projects, considering their relevance within the Brazilian energy matrix and their effects on affected territories and populations. The general objective of the research is to analyze and systematize Brazilian academic production that has investigated the Itaipu Hydroelectric Plant at the master’s and doctoral levels, identifying trends, recurring themes, and gaps in the studies conducted. As specific objectives, the study seeks to examine the intensity with which different impact dimensions are addressed, to understand the territorial and sociocultural transformations highlighted in the literature, and to reflect on the contributions of these studies to Environmental Education and to the debate on sustainable development, in dialogue with the Sustainable Development Goals related to education, energy, sustainable communities, and climate change. Methodologically, the study is characterized as qualitative research of an exploratory and documentary nature, structured through a content analysis of a collection of articles that comprise the dissertation. The selected studies were organized into Units of Analysis, allowing for the classification and systematic interpretation of the impacts addressed. The results indicate a predominance of research focused on the negative impacts of the plant, with particular emphasis on environmental changes, population displacement, landscape reconfiguration, and shifts in the social and cultural dynamics of the affected communities. It is concluded that the academic production highlights the complexity of Itaipu’s effects and reinforces the importance of integrated approaches capable of articulating energy, territory, and society, thereby contributing to the strengthening of critical Environmental Education practices and to broader reflections on sustainability and socio-environmental justice.