Racismo ambiental de empreendimentos hidroenergéticos: estudo de caso de pequenas centrais hidrelétricas no Paraná

Abstract

This paper addresses environmental racism in the context of hydroelectric projects, focusing on the socio-environmental impacts of Small Hydroelectric Power Plants (SHPs) in the state of Paraná. Environmental racism refers to racial discrimination, with inequality in the distribution of negative environmental impacts, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities, especially traditional communities such as indigenous peoples and quilombolas. Despite being presented as a clean energy alternative, SHPs have generated significant impacts on these communities. The research seeks to investigate how these projects contribute to environmental racism, evaluating social and environmental aspects. Through a case study, it will be analyzed through data from government sources, with mapping of SHPs, and the prospection of environmental licensing processes, and with the diagnosis of socio-environmental impacts. In Paraná, there are 20 hydroelectric projects in operation, with a capacity of over 10 Megawatts (MW). These projects are required to carry out an Environmental Impact Study (EIA), which must develop detailed research on the project, but only 5 SHPs present this study. The analysis of the EIA and the Operating License (LO) of the projects revealed that none of the five projects examined included specific actions aimed at traditional communities, even when these communities were in their areas of influence. The studies focused only on physical, biotic and economic aspects, leaving aside the interaction between humans and the environment, particularly with regard to traditional communities. In addition, the EIAs presented significant flaws, such as the absence of detailed studies on the way of life of these communities and the lack of mechanisms to protect them. This omission highlights environmental racism, demonstrating the neglect of the impacts on traditional communities, despite the requirements of the Terms of Reference for small hydroelectric plants and hydroelectric plants in ethnoecological and anthropological studies.