/Reuters Agency
The Government of Brazil has authorized the opening of a navigation channel on the Tocantins River, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon basin, as part of an infrastructure project aimed at boosting the transport of grains from the country’s interior to the northern ports. The initiative involves the blasting of 35 kilometers of rocky rapids and the dredging of another 177 kilometers, with an estimated investment of 7.3 billion dollars.
The Araguaia-Tocantins waterway would allow for the transit of barges year-round, facilitating the shipment of up to 20 million metric tons of soy and corn annually. According to the government, this would significantly reduce logistical costs and emissions associated with land transport, consolidating Brazil’s position as a world leader in grain trade.
However, the project faces opposition from federal prosecutors, riverside communities, and scientists. The former have asked the courts to evaluate the social and environmental impacts, while inhabitants of localities like Tauiry warn of the risk of displacement and loss of livelihoods. Artisanal fishing and the collection of babassu coconuts are fundamental activities for these communities, who fear being replaced by barge traffic.
Researchers from the Emilio Goeldi Museum have warned about the potential damage to the river’s biodiversity, including habitats of endangered fish, turtles, and river dolphins. The environmental agency Ibama has authorized the explosions outside of critical reproduction and migration seasons, with measures to relocate turtle nests. For its part, the infrastructure agency DNIT indicated that actions will be taken to scare away wildlife before the detonations.
The governor of the state of Pará, Helder Barbalho, has defended the project, arguing that it is possible to reconcile economic development with environmental preservation. However, the climate impact will be the subject of debate at the upcoming United Nations COP30 summit, which will be held in November in Belém.
Studies by the Climate Policy Initiative warn that even investments in less polluting transport, such as railways and waterways, can generate indirect emissions by incentivizing deforestation. One cited example is the Ferrograo project, which would reduce direct emissions by 1 million tons but could generate up to 60 million additional tons due to agricultural expansion.
The advance of the agricultural frontier in the Matopiba region, which encompasses the Araguaia and Tocantins rivers, is the fastest in the country. Local communities fear that the new waterway corridor will further accelerate this process, compromising their territories and traditional ways of life.
