The construction of a proposed power plant near Brazil's capital has put the future of an elementary school in serious jeopardy.
What's happening?
Mongabay reported that officials in Brazil held a public hearing on June 17 to consider the construction of a thermoelectric plant 20 miles outside of Brasília.
The location of the proposed plant is in the middle of what is widely known as the most deforested biome in Brazil, the Cerrado.
The Cerrado has experienced a higher rate of deforestation than the Amazon rainforest in recent years, particularly in the last two years.
In 2023, the Cerrado saw over 1.11 million hectares lost to deforestation, according to the Instituto Sociedade, População e Natureza. While that number dropped to 700,000 hectares in 2024, per Mongabay, the impact has been felt far and wide across the region.
Deforestation can have significant negative impacts on the environment, leading to soil erosion, biodiversity loss, and increased carbon dioxide emissions.
It can also greatly disrupt local communities and their residents. Located at the proposed construction site of the power plant is Guariroba Elementary School, which has a student population of 340 children. If the plant is given the green light, the school would likely be destroyed.
Guariroba student Sophie de Castro Silva pleaded to members of the local environment committee in May to reject the plant's construction.
"Guariroba Elementary School brings education to children from rural areas, like Boa Esperança, Vista Bela, Núcleo Monjolinho, Ceilândia, and Samambaia," De Castro Silva said, per Mongabay.
"I ask, in the name of the children, please don't tear down the school," she added. "I love this school so much, not just me, but all of us. And we can change this."
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Yes 👍 Why is the construction of a thermoelectric plant concerning?
The controversy surrounding the proposed thermoelectric plant has been made possible by the potential signing of Bill 2159/2021 in Brazil.
Also known as the "Devastation Bill" by environmental and Indigenous rights organizations, the bill aims to drastically weaken environmental licensing laws.
This bill has sparked considerable debate and concern from both within Brazil and on the international level.
Juliano Araújo, director of the International Arayara Institute, offered a detailed explanation of the meaning of the proposed bill.
"The change in licensing means that all territories are in a situation of very high risk," Araújo told Mongabay. "There is no longer a need for consultation or to make adjustments."
Araújo noted the bill limits mandatory consultations with Indigenous peoples and communities. This could pave the way for increased deforestation and construction projects inside the affected regions, which could lead to the displacement of residents, as well as negative environmental impacts and increased pollution.
Despite the backlash, the bill passed in the Senate 54-13.
What's being done about the "Devastation Bill"?
Anna Cavazzini, a member of the European Parliament and vice-chair of the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with the Federative Republic of Brazil, released a statement calling for the reconsideration of the controversial bill.
Cavazzini suggested "to preserve the level of environmental protection and not put the bill to a vote."
While Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva can still opt not to sign Bill 2159/2021 into law, many believe that it may be unlikely.
With the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as the COP30, set to be held in Belém, Brazil, critics like district deputy Max Maciel point to the gap between policy and practice.
"How are we going to defend the global energy transition at COP30, in Belém, if we are installing a fossil plant in the country's capital?" asked Maciel, per Mongabay.
"This stains the country's credibility and, above all, reveals a brutal contradiction: While the discourse speaks of a green future, the practice continues to expel families, destroy schools, and poison rivers in the outskirts."
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