Large-scale infrastructure investments in Latin American countries threaten efforts to protect tropical forests and mitigate climate change, according to a new analysis published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Large-scale infrastructure investments in Latin American countries threaten efforts to protect tropical forests and mitigate climate change, according to a new analysis published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The analysis warns that so-called “mega-infrastructure” projects — such as dams and highway systems — can compromise the community rights of Indigenous, Afro-descendent, and traditional populations who play an important role in ecosystem conservation.
The findings contradict the priorities of many major banks and national governments, which say large-scale infrastructure investments are critical for achieving economic growth and stability in undeveloped regions — arguments that have gained even more support as countries aim to recover from the economic damage caused by Covid-19. According to the G-20, investment in infrastructure could reach $78.8 trillion by 2040. In Latin America alone, plans exist for a wide array of new infrastructure projects, including highways, railways, ports, dams, power stations, and other infrastructure.
But the research found that these projects typically accelerate climate change and frequently exacerbate forest and biodiversity loss, threaten freshwater and river ecosystems, and fuel conflicts and social displacement, among other harmful consequences. Dams built in the Amazon, for example, have caused increased methane emissions and mercury pollution, disrupted aquatic life, and contributed to the spread of malaria, the study says. The research was led by scientists and policy experts at Clark University in Massachusetts.
Read more at Yale Environment 360
Image by Rosina Kaiser from Pixabay
