An investigation into the socioenvironmental impacts caused by the construction of six hydroelectric dams on the Teles Pires river in Brazil's Mato Grosso state. Although one of the main tributaries of the Tapajós river, the dams were built without a strategic environmental evaluation. Deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and polluted water are just some of the consequences. Journalist Juliana Arini revisits individuals she interviewed in 2016, comparing their narratives of life today with their situation before the dams were built.
July 22, 2019 | National Geographic Brazil
New Hydroelectric Plants in the Amazon Ignore Norms and Cause Environmental Damage (Portuguese)
To avoid greenhouse gas emissions and preserve oxygenation of rivers, vegetation must be completely removed from dam areas before being flooded. But these guidelines are not always followed and many fish have already died.
July 05, 2019 | National Geographic
Excavations for New Hydroelectric Plants Reveal Archaeological Wealth in Mato Grosso (Portuguese)
Ceramics, polished stone tools, cave drawings, and funerary urns tell the story of human occupation and the ancestry of the Indigenous peoples of the Upper Tapajós.
June 24, 2019 | Agência Envolverde
The Riberinhos: Living Without a River (Portuguese)
The Riberinhos live at the margins of the rivers of the Teles Pires watersheds and are one of the communities most impacted by dam construction in the Amazon region. The dams generate billions of Brazilian reales each year.