This is nothing new. Brazil is notorious for crossing the border to Venezuela and destroying their Amazon with their illegal mining operations (not to mention the stealing of the resources). They were even caught using Agent Orange for deforestation. Just shameless and needs to stop now!

By the way, I am an Amazonian from Brasil. I was born and raised in Amazon.So I know what I am talking about. Sou da cidade de Maues Amazonas.

Then you should know what I'm talking about, they call them Garimpeiros, I think, and yeah been happening

The problem being that they are not going to listen to advice from the rest of the world. The rest of the world ruined their environment for fun and mainly profit and the monied interests are not going to miss their turn to do so. They will call the resistance hypocritical and justify the need to rape the environment based on their need to grow the economy. $$$$$$$ Ahhh! Capitalism at it's finest!

Is this going the way of "Confessions of an Economic Hitman" ? No no. Brazil is too big for that. But perhaps within Brazil there are power centers who want this...

The fact that they completely ignored the impact on those down river of the dam site is inexcusable. These people rely on the river for food and transportation and all of that is going to be taken away. I do not know how anyone can claim that they are not being directly impacted by the dam. it sounds like typical government BS of defining words however they need to in order to do what they want. Hopefully they can still find a way to stop this project before it completely destroys these people's way of life.

As an american who lives less than five miles from a large electricity producing reservoir I don't believe I can righteously protest the decisions of another country. There is a reason it's called brazil and not america.

Blah, blah, blah.

Next.

China remains the world’s biggest dam builder at home and abroad. Indeed, no country in history has built more dams than China, which boasts more dams than the rest of the world combined.

Before the Communists came to power in 1949, China had only 22 dams of any significant size. Now the country has more than half of the world’s roughly 50,000 large dams, defined as having a height of at least 15 meters, or a storage capacity of more than three million cubic meters. Thus, China has completed, on average, at least one large dam per day since 1949. If dams of all sizes are counted, China’s total surpasses 85,000.

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, China’s dams had the capacity to store 562.4 cubic kilometers of water in 2005, or 20% of the country’s total renewable water resources. Since then, China has built scores of new dams, including the world’s largest: the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River.

China is also the global leader in exporting dams. Its state-run companies are building more dams overseas than all other international dam builders put together. Thirty-seven Chinese financial and corporate entities are involved in more than 100 major dam projects in the developing world. Some of these entities are very large and have multiple subsidiaries. For instance, Sinohydro Corporation – the world’s largest hydroelectric company – boasts 59 overseas branches.

China’s over-damming of rivers and its inter-river and inter-basin water transfers have already wreaked havoc on natural ecosystems, causing river fragmentation and depletion and promoting groundwater exploitation beyond the natural replenishment capacity. And changing the rain patterns FOREVER...

China also has trade agreements with many South American countries. The Brazil rain forest are being decimated for their forest products, to make way for these dams and the required service roads. Also, the natural resources are destine for CHINA...

Between these dams and the land clearing for sugar cane/ethanol production, the 'Rain Forest' have been disappearing for DECADES...

If you think large hydro electric dams do not cause enviromental problems, read:

1. China's Three Gorges Dam and Its. Impact on Water Environment. Wei - http://www.ndhealth.gov/MF/forms/presentations/ThreeGorgesDam.pdf

2. Three Gorges Dam has caused urgent problems, says China - http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/may/19/china-three-gorges-dam

3. Three Gorges Dam shrinks Yangtze delta - http://www.agu.org/news/press/jhighlight_archives/2007/2007-05-16.html

"we don't have to protect the environment, the second coming is at hand."

James Watt, Ronald Reagan's Secretary of the Interior

That might give you some idea why they wingnuts in this country don't give a damn about the environment, Jeebus is coming back to whisk them away to a "better" place with oyster spit gate and streets paved with shiny rocks where they can sit on clouds all day playing harps and kissing "gods" ass . I just hope he hurrys before they destroy the whole damn planet with their greed and stupidty for those of us who plan on hanging out after the rapture.

We do have to face the facts that our development choices do have results/impacts. I'm not against development, nor against the environment but I'm afraid that environmentalism doesn't address the realities as much as the rhetoric. Take as example all of the arrows being cast against the US, while China gets little attention. They use open pit fires to burn computer boards, releasing the toxic compounts into the air. They openly dump toxic manufacturing waste into their waters. They built a dam so large that it changed the earth's rotation (want environmental impact? How does changing the earth's rotation change the weather alone?), not to mention all of the land now under water that once did something else. The world doesn't seem to be concerned with "developing" countries, just the big dogs. That's wrong.

With Brazil- the original poster said it well. They want money, so they find ways around the laws to mine, cut, etc. as they want. My great concern is that if you take the Amazon and change it significantly you will change some of the biggest lungs on earth. They contribute oxygen, humidity, fresh water to the region, flush nutrients, etc. into the ocean, as well as a number of other things I'll forget to add. We've got to be careful about our choices as once we've done in huge areas, then realize what they "did" we'll be too late.

A closing example- I read an article about a scientist studying trees and AIDS. His crew surveyed some large rural areas in South America and their trees. Well, it turned out that one tree sampled had very high compound concentrations that they believed would push towards a cure/treatment for AIDS. They hopped on a plane and tried to find that tree, but the locals had cut the area to make some money and the tree was lost. Not that this isn't reality, but we don't know what's out there in nature and should consider the potential of natural cures, etc. that are there waiting to be found.

They built a dam so large that it changed the earth's rotation . WTF? Lay off smoking that grass dude.

Brazil may prosper, but at what cost? We're all going to end up being 3rd World countries, with the U.S. of A. leading the parade.

So... Destroying rainforests and ruining thousands of lives is perfectly acceptable to you? What part of this do you think is lies?

Pretty sad when the corporate benefits outweigh the burden of the people and the land.

Who are the ecoterrorists? The people who want to destroy the last rainforest on Earth in order to make a few imaginary dollars or is it the people that want to protect a working ecosystem. It's pretty clear who your 'ecoterrorists' are.

Enough is enough. Too many people, too much waste. We need to put a stop to the continued growing population, before we destroy ourselves, as well as everything else. What's the big deal to go back down to 4 or 5 BILLION people? Nothing. It's pure selfishness and egotistical desire to keep reproducing at an absolute senseless rate. People who have more than 3 children truly do not love them. If they did, they would care more about their future, then their own desire for a big family.

Jamie Alvarez

Clearly you are a troll or a tard--either way likely you believe the earth is 6 to 10k yrs old and some long hair hippie named Jesass will come to earth and reward you for your ignorance and stupidity--any day now!

What's clear is Jamie Alvarez is an ignorant douchbag. I know its wrong to bash people in the forums, however, im so tired of holding back on these @!$%#ing morons that dont have a @!$%#ing clue about whats going on. Again, your a douchbag. @!$%#er.

We have no right to tell Brazil what to do, just as they have no right to tell us what to do. Lets fix our own house and let them worry about theirs.

What are you going to do, declare war? Boycott them? Obama just funneled $2 billion to them to develop their off shore oil and promised to be an eager customer, there is no way Obama would boycott them.

Now that you know what Brazil and China are up to, the US doesn't look so bad after all does it!

Yeah while he funneled Billions to Brazil for off shore drilling, he cut off drilling in the U.S. Lets send Obama to Brazil.

Stephanie-574

Enough is enough. Too many people, too much waste. We need to put a stop to the continued growing population, before we destroy ourselves, as well as everything else. What's the big deal to go back down to 4 or 5 BILLION people? Nothing. It's pure selfishness and egotistical desire to keep reproducing at an absolute senseless rate. People who have more than 3 children truly do not love them. If they did, they would care more about their future, then their own desire for a big family.

Stephanie, at risk of sounding as cold hearted as you, I will tell you that if you truly believe that nonsense you're spouting than you should practice what you preach and give an example for everyone else to follow, by removing yourself first.

I'm not saying everyone should go out and have 10 kids. But seriously if you want to suddenly reduce the planetary population by 1 billion "right now" you are talking about "killing off" in some manner or another 1 out of every 6 people. How do you choose? Which 3 or 4 people in your family are you going to take out?

i don't care who or where you are, one rug rat per vagina tube's tied

Agreed. Overpopulation is horrible. Saw a video last week of a guy in Pakisstan has 2 wives and 20 children. 10 from each wife. Can't afford to take care of them so all are in horrible poverty. Dad was interviewed and can't even name his 20. HE knows he wants his kids to get a good education but can't remember his 20. Probably have 1 or 2 more by this time next year, but doesn't have the brains to remember his 20. Time for some apologetic do gooder from a western household of 4,500 sq ft or larger with only one kid to want us to tax ourselves to set up a program for Dad's in the third world who can't remember their kid's names. Same do gooder who'll buy teak furniture from the amazon and then tell the rest of us to walk everywhere so we can save the world by not burning fuel.

@billy barty :One child per penis then Vasectomy!!!

Are you leading by example?

Show us the way.

Your brains must be mush!

you are all sooo full of @!$%#.

we live in places that were, at one time, NATURAL AREASwith lots of native trees, and you weren't here for it. So, when you go get your coffee, or are thrilled that the Home Depot has a sale on PAINT (many pigments from places you can't name) remember that this @!$%# was all a forest and someone came to the US and pimped it out just like everything else. Blame me, blame yourselves. Progress is.

Chrisman.

There are currently more trees in North American and Europe than at the time of the Revolutionary War.

Brazil IS a problem, and that from a friend who is a Venezuelian. What he said is that it is not good what they are doing, but not as bad as what the environmentalists are painting.

there all douchbags, both sides, too bad nobody uses common sense and the truth nowadays. Everyone seems to be full of @!$%#. @!$%#ing pathetic. both the corporations, and the environmentalists. And Akons absolutely right about the trees in north america. All you people feeling bad about not recycling your paper, well dont. Its all bull@!$%#. less environmental impact growing trees for paper, trees that wouldnt be there without a paper industry. Nobody thinks about how paper is recycled, bleaches and acids and lots of bad @!$%#. its a scam, but someones getting rich off of it.

EVERY species impacts the environment. We are just more efficient at it. A pristine environment is stupid because there is no such thing, nature is always pushing and pulling in one direction or another. A sustainable environment is what we should shoot for. That means using natural resources, but doing it in a responsible way.

Anti-choice and anti-contraception forces in the U.S.A. are doing their best to ensure increasingly dangerous levels of overpopulation. Glad I made the choice to not have kids so I won't be leaving anyone behind to deal with the consequences. The descendants of today's "pro-lifers" are going to resent their ancestors one day when they have no potable water and the earth is on its last legs.

Oh PLEASE. Sounds like a line from a soap opera.

Laura, those who say we are overpopulated, are pushing bogus numbers. The earth can bear many times more than what we have. We just need to learn to use what we have better.

What is true is that there is a limit. The limits placed on us are there so we will never control the universe. Since there are limits on what we will be able to do, there must be someone bigger, smarter, and more powerful than us.

The western world is not the problem, many nations are actually contracting. It's the third world that is exploding. The blame America first crowd needs to get a clue.

That's a pathetic lie. It IS for better electricity, the locals support it. As the article said, it means votes.

Global capitalism isn't a goal, it's a fact, get over it. The goal is raising everyone lifestyle.

Jobs mean slave labor? What an idiotic comment!

And you type away on your Chinese lap top, with electricity supplied by those evil capitalists, with running water and a roof over your head, what a hypocrite. You got yours screw everyone else? Nice attitude.

Hello Jaques,

Humans need the air that the trees create to breath.

Taking a deep breath of your rhetoric gets me nothing.

Progress and prosperity at what costs? It means destroying thousands of acres of rainforest that's vital to the WORLD'S ecology. It means destroying thousands of lives of people who live in the affected areas. That is not prosperity nor progress. It's just greed. Sorry, your kind of narrowmindedness just proves how greedy people are.

Oh well then. Guess they should just build another smoke belching coal fired power plant. Trees love smoke.

Here we say, "Drill, Baby! Drill!"

There, it is, "Dam, Baby! Dam!"

AND drill baby drill. Remember Obama funneled $2 billion to them to develop their off shore oil.

We have millions of acres of wild areas in the US. I am across the Olympics from our rain forest, ten feet of rain a year there means plenty of sunshine for my solar panels here! :<)

All plants generate oxygen, the world won't run out any time soon. More CO2 means more plant growth which leads to more oxygen, nature is far more robust than people give it credit for.

I AM "THERE" . DON'T LET MY GOOD ENGLISH FOOL YOU . I AM AN AMAZONIAN AND I LIVE OVER HERE IN AMAZON STATE BRASIL , SO I DO KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. So' porque uma pessoa sabe se expressar em outro idioma nao quer dizer que ele nao seja um nativo. Sou Amazonense e tenho orgulho disso.

So you have your electricity, screw everyone else? A little selfish aren't we?

Here in Wisconsin the DNR has been hell bent on an anti-dam kick for some time. Yet if you think about it,what would have been the "natural" state of virtually every Wisconsin stream and river prior to the fur trappers arriving here? Thats right, Beaver Dams up the wazoo. Very little different from the small dams and mill ponds the DNR has been removing.

It's the same in WA state as well. Tearing down a couple of big ones in my area.

DUH right back at you.

The reduced flow will leave the LAND around the river dry killing of the natural growth and limiting the farming. When water runs thru a dam it's at a fraction of the original flow.

reduce a 90-mile stretch downriver to "a tiny fraction" of its normal flow, says Philip Fearnside, a researcher at Brazil's National Institute for Research in Amazonia.

Reading and understanding not at work.

DUH, Darthdon is correct. The river downstream of the dam will be starved for water while the lake behind the dam is being filled. Once it is filled, the overflow from the dam is exactly the same amount of water as it was before the dam was built. What goes in the lake must come out, no more, no less.

Darthdon and Road Warrior are correct. Philip Fearnside is wrong. Once the reservoir is filled, the net flow of the river will be the same as it was before the dam and reservoir were built. It has to be, all of the tributary water flowing into the reservoir has to flow out through the dam's power house or spillway. There is nowhere else for it to go. The only downstream "drying up" occurs during the short initial period when the reservoir is filling. Once it has filled, the water coming in has to be matched by the water going out.

Yes, correct. The flow has to be the same or the dam level would increase until it overflowed anyway.

What dams tend to do is average out the flow so there will be less flooding in the spring and less dry season in the summer.

you sound so caring and compassionate. way to go.

Proof yet again liberals are fascists.

Like digging coal mines.

You are right scott - If everybody does just a little bit, it adds up to a lot.