SOCIAL PARTICIPATION ENVOLVING PROJECTS OF HYDROELECTRIC PLANTS LICENSED BY IBAMA.

• Grant number: 22/12195-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2022
• End date: November 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Denise Gallo Pizella
• Grantee: Leandra Maritza Van Der Laan Berbel
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FEIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Ilha Solteira. Ilha Solteira , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Environmental Impact Assessment is an instrument to seek an analysis of the possible impacts of a project and its alternatives, presenting the results to the public. In Brazil, the high demand for electricity has been a justification for the construction of new hydroelectric projects, which cause significant interference to the environment and society, directly and indirectly affecting the flow of water, ecosystems and populations. Such projects require environmental licensing for their achievement and, to ensure that this process is democratic, social participation is essential during all stages of licensing. It is necessary to consider the concerns of those directly affected by the project, for the occurrence and valuation of public participation in environmental licensing, and the provision of information about the environment that local populations have is necessary for the elaboration of good environmental studies. In addition, social participation presents better results in licensing processes, due to greater scientific and affected population credibility's, respecting the rights of the community. In view of the need to improve the environmental licensing of potentially impacting projects, it is important to verify how social participation occurs in its various stages in the environmental licensing agencies. To this end, 20 environmental licensing processes of hydroelectric plants licensed by IBAMA will be analyzed, seeking, through the Minutes of Public Hearings, which forms of social participation are adopted by the licensing body, in order to verify how IBAMA has carried out the participation of society in the processes under investigation.