In honor of Earth Day, please watch this short video and take action to defend the Xingu River basin. The Brazilian government is pushing for Belo Monte Dam construction to begin in the next few weeks.
As you may know, last month I journeyed back to the Brazilian Amazon with James Cameron and this time, he brought Arnold Schwarzenegger. We returned to the Arara village on the threatened Big Bend of the Xingu River and were met by hundreds of villagers, the legendary Kayapo Chief Raoni, world-renowned climate scientists and local movement leaders. Their resounding message was the same: “We urge the Brazilian government stop the Belo Monte Dam and pursue truly renewable energy alternatives!”
Following the visit to the Xingu, we traveled to Manaus to the Global Sustainability Forum where world leaders, including Clinton, reminded Brazil that it is responsible for “the stewardship of the greatest rainforest of the world”, and called on Brazil to lead the world on a green energy pathway.
“You need more electricity. You need it to be clean. You want to preserve native cultures and you need to preserve the rainforest. If you reach a critical juncture, you’ll change it forever and it can’t be recovered and the rest of the world is depending on you because about 20% of non ocean oxygen comes from you…The whole world needs you to resolve this.”
Unfortunately, the Brazilian government doesn’t appear to be listening. After dismissing demands from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States to suspend the dam’s licensing process until serious human rights violations have been remedied, the government is fast-tracking the dam’s full installation license and seeking to initiate construction as early as next month.
It is urgent that the Brazilian government hear the call from Brazilians and the international community to defend the Amazon, indigenous rights and reconsider its plans for the Belo Monte Dam and 60 other large dams planned for the Amazon. Energy efficiency and clean renewable energy, such as solar and wind, are viable and essential solutions to more dirty dams. The entire world depends on it.
Watch and share this video. Take action today by signing and sharing a petition to the Brazilian government.
For the Amazon and Mother Earth,
Atossa Soltani
Executive Director
