Environmental licensing of large-scale enterprises: What are the limits for evaluating direct and indirect impacts on health? A case study in the Wajãpi Indigenous Land, Amapá

Abstract

In Brazil, it is mandatory to conduct environmental impact studies prior to deploying large-scale ventures. However, the normative criteria for demarcating areas of influence are considered imprecise and insufficient. The present article aims to demonstrate how serial environmental impacts caused by the implementation of hydroelectric power plants and industrial mining in the state of Amapá triggered outbreaks of malaria and American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) in the Wajãpi Indigenous Land and other settlements in the region. Spatial analysis of deforestation, climate variation curves, and the chronology of events from 2003 to 2015 were used to verify the correlation of indirect health effects in communities wich were not included during the licensing stages for deploying these projects. The results showed that outbreaks of malaria and ACL were correlated with increased rates of deforestation caused by the expansion of rural settlements, but mainly by the establishment of two hydroelectric power plants, the growth in industrial iron mining, as well as the simultaneous increase of mining camps (garimpos) in the region. The results highlight the fragility of the environmental licensing process for demarcating indirectly influenced areas, particularly with regard to health issues.