“After more than 20 years of consistent misinformation about this project, almost all local residents now favor it and to question the plan would be political suicide for any candidate.
“Resurfacing the BR-319 highway will provide a relatively undisturbed connection to the central Amazon to the AMACRO region. Deforestation hotspots It is named after the provinces of Amazonas, Acre and Rondônia. Although AMACRO was promoted as a Zone for Sustainable Development (ZDS), it has become a major driver of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest,” he added.
BR-319, an 885km highway, opened in 1976 during Brazil’s military dictatorship but closed in 1988. In 2015, a maintenance program was launched under Dilma Rousseff’s government to revive the highway. Since then, several governments have attempted to rebuild the 406km stretch of highway.
survive
The Fishbone effect is caused by the opening of illegal branches on both sides of the BR-319 highway. land grabber. This phenomenon is already happening around highways, and the illegal extension section is over 6,000 km, more than six times the length of BR-319.
Additionally, proposed roads along BR-319 include: AM-366BR-319 will provide loggers access to vast areas of rainforest in the western Trans-Purus region.
Reconstruction of the BR-319 highway could lead to disaster and disaster. irreversible consequencesThese include widespread deforestation, biodiversity loss, and environmental destruction.
There may also be an increase in illegal activities, including organized crime, illegal logging, mining and illegal logging. encroachments on indigenous lands;. furthermore, animal leap And a new one appears Epidemic It may rise.
These impacts could push rainforests beyond their ability to survive, ceasing their function as carbon sinks and disrupting their role as regional and global climate regulators.
interruption
Lucas Ferrante, a researcher at the University of São Paulo (USP) and the Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM), discussed the important role of flying rivers in climate regulation.
He said: “These forested areas generate important environmental ecosystem services known as flying rivers, which play an important role in regulating Brazil’s climate. Moisture from the Atlantic Ocean is transported to the continent through the northern region and flows into the Amazon. .
“Epoto-transpiration from preserved forests creates high-pressure systems that produce rainfall, which then travel south, supplying water to the southeastern, central-western and southern regions of Brazil.
“For example, 70% of precipitation Cantareira The system that supplies water to Sao Paulo, the most densely populated region in South America, originates from this forested region. “However, deforestation around BR-319 poses a serious threat to the Flying River and continued destruction could have devastating consequences for the entire country.”
Ferrante continued: “Densely populated areas will face severe water shortages, which will kill the most vulnerable populations, disrupt industries, have a devastating impact on agriculture and render these areas uninhabitable.
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“Essentially, the collapse of the flying river would trigger the collapse of the country’s economic sector, potentially resulting in losses of up to $500 billion (R$3 trillion) per year.”
survey Map BiomassFrom January to September this year, 22.38 million hectares burned in Brazil, an increase of 13.4 million hectares compared to 2023, according to Fire Monitor. This is a 150% increase over the previous year. More than half (51%, or 11.3 million hectares) of the area burned occurred in the Amazon.
Ferrante said of the fires in the Amazon and across Brazil: “It is important to recognize that Brazil has exceeded its greenhouse gas emissions targets, with the highest levels occurring in the Amazon due to widespread fires in the biome.”
fire and drought The Amazon is expected to deteriorate further due to climate change and other factors, including the rampant expansion of agriculture, especially livestock farming, legal and illegal mining, logging, and large-scale business expansion. bio fuel Production – especially with the recently announced increase in biofuel mandates. Lula.
This was further strengthened by Lula’s drive to extract “every last drop” of oil. The BR-319 highway plays a central role in promoting this development in the region.
generation
The Amazon rainforest is known to be one of the most prevalent areas of zoonotic disease. Scientists consistently warn that rebuilding the BR-319 highway, coupled with climate change, will accelerate deforestation caused by agricultural expansion, mining, oil and gas exploration, illegal activities, and infrastructure projects.
This increases human mobility and urbanization, increasing the risk of zoonotic diseases (diseases stored in forests can potentially be transmitted to humans). Infectious disease epidemic worldwide Or a series of things.
Deforestation along BR-319 has already resulted in: 400% increase in malaria Examples from this region demonstrate the potential environmental damage caused by this project and new global pandemic.
article nature Brazil’s western Amazon reported that it is facing its largest outbreak of OROV (Oropoche virus), with over 6,300 cases recorded between 2022 and 2024.
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Researchers identified new genetic variants of the virus and highlighted fragmented forest landscapes and loss of vegetation due to deforestation and expansion of agricultural activities as important factors driving the spread of the virus.
Most OROV positive cases in 2022-2023 were concentrated in the AMACRO region, a hotspot for deforestation.
Fearnside explained: “Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest and other tropical regions increases the risk of: new human disease We need to increase contact between rainforest wildlife and humans and domestic animals.
“It can also contribute to climate change, creating conditions more prone to parasites, fungi, viruses and bacterial infections.”
Terrace Devolutas
The BR-319 highway will serve an expanding range of domestic and international industries, particularly those focused on the significant benefits the ‘bioeconomy’ can generate.
Additionally, it will play an important role in promoting oil and gas exploration in the region, including projects operated by Petrobras along the equatorial margin. Lula.
Russian oil and gas companies rosneft The BR-319 project will also benefit from the company holding drilling rights to 14 oil and gas blocks located west of the highway, approximately 35km from the Purus River. Solimènes sedimentary basin. This pristine area is larger than the state of California.
Other sectors can also benefit from the BR-319 project, such as: Agricultural business expansion, livestock farmingThis includes both legal and illegal mining, logging and organized crime.
Ferrante detailed how BR-319 will facilitate the expansion of agribusiness, livestock farming and mining. “BR-319 is accelerating the growth of agribusiness in the region, especially on unallocated public lands (‘terras devolutas’).
navigable
“Soybean farmers from Mato Grosso do Sul are moving to Rondônia and buying land from livestock farmers, and livestock farmers are moving south into Amazonas within the BR-319 corridor, where land is being subject to land grabs, illegal deforestation and illegal occupation. often through illegal occupation or violent eviction of traditional communities.
“Starting in 2023, smoke levels have increased in Manaus during the dry season, primarily due to forest fires spreading along newly paved sections of BR-319 where livestock farming is rapidly expanding. The presence of asphalt has accelerated deforestation and caused fires. is commonly used to clear land for pasture.”
He added, “Furthermore, there is a well-documented connection between the two.” land grabber Organized crime emerged along BR-319. “Criminal groups rob land, expel legitimate owners and traditional communities, and often use the proceeds to force these refugee communities into illegal mining operations.”
Supporters of the BR-319 project, including politicians, businesses and individuals, have offered various justifications for rebuilding the highway, citing the region’s ongoing drought.
But Ferrante points out that despite the drought, the Madeira River is still navigable. Moreover, BR-319 is located across the Rio Negro and is therefore not connected to drought-affected municipalities.
catch
The Madeira River has long been a major transportation route in the region, running parallel to the BR-319 highway and providing a safer, cleaner and more cost-effective means of transporting goods.
Rodrigo Agostinho, president of Brazil’s environmental protection agency Ibama, said: Amazonia Real On November 14, it said that without good governance, the BR-319 project could become a “front for large-scale deforestation.” He also pointed out that those who build roads are not responsible for maintaining the surrounding areas, an issue that remains highly controversial.
The Brazilian government continues to defend this. rule Following BR-319, with the support of several NGO with international support philanthropic group. However, these groups refuse to oppose the BR-319 project.
Meanwhile, Brazil’s federal police and military say the future governance scenario is unsubstantialThis is because inspection agencies lack the resources needed to monitor the region due to its vast size, complexity and risk.
organized crime It already controls land grabbing and mining in the region, which has had a devastating impact on traditional communities.
unanimous
Who benefits from the BR-319 project? The main beneficiaries are those who finance illegal activities, including illegal mining, organized crime, agricultural expansion, large-scale biofuel production, livestock farming, oil and gas exploration, and “bioeconomy” development.
These highly profitable ventures are funded by domestic and international stakeholders.
“The 2009 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) found that business leaders did not view this project as a priority for the Manaus industrial hub,” Fearnside said.
“In the years that followed, the unanimous political support for the project naturally prompted businessmen who depended on political support to adopt the same position.
ecosystem
“However, academic studies assessing the feasibility of the project have shown that it is not economically feasible. Notably, the project remains the only major project in Brazil without a formal economic feasibility study (EVTEA), which is probably no coincidence. .”
BR-319 highway reconstruction Economic feasibility study required (EVTEA) was regulated under Act 5917/1973 and failed to carry out significant consultation with indigenous communities. International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 169 and Brazilian Law 10.088/2019BR-319 Makes the project unconstitutional.
Following Ferrante’s presentation to the Ministry of Environment on October 29 highlighting the negative impacts of the BR-319 project, he called for a suspension of all licenses and tenders until consultations have taken place with all affected indigenous communities.
He also urges the Department of National Transport and Infrastructure (DNIT) to suspend the maintenance license for the entire highway as it has already caused serious environmental damage to ecosystems, rivers and traditional communities. He also called for the removal of illegal points and expropriation of all areas occupied along the BR-319 highway since 2008.
Author Lee
Monica Piccinini I contribute regularly. ecologist Freelance writer focusing on environmental, health and human rights issues.
