On Sunken Land: The Environmental and Social Impacts of the Itaipu Hydroelectric Dam in Brazil

Abstract

Efforts to transition to renewable energy sources, or “energy derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed” are increasingly favorable considering heightened energy demand and increased awareness of the anthropogenic causes of global warming (United Nations, 2016). Hydroelectric power is one form of renewable energy that has been employed in a number of countries, including the Itaipu hydroelectric dam in Brazil. The Itaipu hydroelectric dam in Brazil has proved to be a fruitful endeavor, generating 2.91 billion megawatt hours since its opening in 1984 (Rodrigues, 2023). However, building a hydroelectric dam is not a decision that should be taken lightly, and the potential drawbacks must be considered. One recent challenge faced by the Itaipu Dam is the current drought in Brazil, which is attributed to anthropogenic global warming (Turcot, 2022). The year 2021 produced one of the lowest energy yields since the dam was opened, demonstrating a degree of unreliability in terms of energy production (Itaipu Binacional). Furthermore, the flood that followed the construction of the Itaipu Dam displaced an estimated 40,000 people from Indigenous and rural communities (Blanc, 2019). The unreliability in energy production and potential for mass displacement call into question hydropower as a reliable and permanent replacement for non-renewable energy sources. The positive environmental impacts highlighted by Itaipu Binacional and the Brazilian and Paraguayan governments may not adequately justify the negative environmental and social impacts of building the Itaipu hydroelectric dam in an area populated by vulnerable Indigenous and rural communities. Keywords: Sustainable development, renewable energy, hydroelectric power, displacement, environmental justice