Brazilian government says yes to the construction of the Belo Monte Dam
Despite vehement protests from the local community and the ban from the federal government of the state Pará, on 26 Januari 2011 the Brazilian government gave its assent to the construction of the Belo Monte Dam in the River Xingu.
By only issuing a partial permit, which allows energy company NESA to start building roads, the Brazilian government circumvents the decision of the state where the dam was planned. The state Pará prohibited NESA to build the dam, because practically no environmental regulation was complied with. NESA also had no regard whatsoever for the consequences for the local communities.
Brazilian human rights organisations and action committees have joined forces to hand in a petition at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). In this petition they stress the violation of the human rights of over 20.000 people living on the riverbanks. They will be greatly affected by the construction of the dam and they'll be forced to leave the area. For the construction of the roads, at least 100.000 hectares of rainforest will be deforested, causing a serious disruption of the ecological balance. Rare fish species, which only live in the River Xingu, are threatened with distinction. Organisations from all over the world are called on to sign this petition and get the Brazilian government to reverse this decision.
The organisation International Rivers, which cooperates with Both ENDS and Friends of the Earth, did research into the financial risks of building the dam. According to the report "Mega-Project, Mega Risk: Analysis of Risks for Investors in the Belo Monte hydroelectric Complex", investors like the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDS), private banks and pension funds run an enormous risk with this project for a number of reasons. In the driest months of the year, insufficient water flows through the river to generate energy. There probably will be even less water in the future due to climate change. The eventual costs of the project are unclear, because of insufficient research. For the time being, the costs for the construction of the dam have been estimated at 12 to 20 billion dollars, to be paid for in part through Brazilian tax money. It remains to be seen how much the dam will yield the Brazilian people, if anything.
Antonia Melo, leader of and spokesperson for the Xingu Alive Forever Movement (MXVPS) says: "To us, the permit for the construction of the Belo Monte Dam is a sign that the government wants to assert and strengthen its authority. The national government passes over the federal legislation, and violates human rights. A large part of the Amazone area will be destroyed irredeemably."
Read more about this subject
-
Letter / 14 July 2026
Statement on CAO Cambodia Microfinance Case
The independent complaints mechanism of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank Group found that the IFC violated its own Environmental and Social Sustainability Framework by investing in six banks providing microfinance in Cambodia.
-
News / 6 July 2026Strengthening Women's Land Rights Across the Rio Conventions
From 29 June – 2 July 2026, Tamara Mohr, GAGGA coordinator at Both ENDS participated in the 4th convening of the Women's Land Rights Initiative (WLRI) in Nairobi, Kenya.Hosted by the Robert Bosch Stiftung, TMG Research and the Huairou Commission, the event brought together grassroots organisations, (inter)national NGOs, government institutions and donors from around the world.
-
Publication / 3 July 2026
-
Dossier /Communities Regreen the Sahel
In various countries in the Sahel, vast tracts of land have been restored by the local population by nurturing what spontaneously springs from the soil and protecting the sprouts from cattle and hazards.
-
News / 2 July 2026Land restoration can help mitigate and resolve conflict - but only if everyone has a seat at the table
Can restoring degraded land also help reduce conflict? According to experts from Niger, Ghana, the Netherlands and other regions, the answer is yes - but only when restoration is rooted in inclusive land governance, local ownership and social cohesion.
-
Dossier /Gas in Mozambique
In 2011 one of the world’s largest gas reserves was found in the coastal province of Cabo Delgado, in the north of Mozambique. A total of 35 billion dollars has been invested to extract the gas. Dozens of multinationals and financiers are involved in these rapid developments. It is very difficult for the people living in Cabo Delgado to exert influence on the plans and activities, while they experience the negative consequences. With the arrival of these companies, they are losing their land.
-
Dossier /Finance for agroecology
The lion's share of public budgets for climate, agriculture and development still goes to conventional agroindustrial projects that contribute to the current climate, food and biodiversity crises. Both ENDS and our partners are calling for a transition to agroecological practices that are people- and environment-friendly.
-
Dossier /Trade agreements
International trade agreements often have far-reaching consequences not only for the economy of a country, but also for people and the environment. It is primarily the most vulnerable groups who suffer most from these agreements.
-
Publication / 18 June 2026
-
Publication / 12 May 2026
-
Press release / 12 May 2026UN report warns of a growing sand crisis - The Dutch dredging sector plays a key role in global sand extraction
GENEVA/UTRECHT, 12 May 2026 – A new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Sand and Sustainability: An Essential Resource for Nature and Development, warns that global demand for sand is exceeding ecological limits. Large-scale extraction of sand from marine and coastal ecosystems is leading to biodiversity loss, damage to coastal communities and increasing risks in an era of climate change. Dutch dredging companies play a prominent role in this as global market leaders in large-scale sand extraction and land reclamation. “Our analyses show that the dredging sector operates globally within a system in which ecological damage and the consequences for coastal communities are systematically underestimated, whilst transparency and effective oversight are often lacking,” says the Dutch environmental and human rights organisation Both ENDS, which contributed to the report.
-
News / 14 April 2026New report: Phasing out ISDS in the Netherlands: a roadmap
Today, Both ENDS and SOMO are publishing the report Phasing out ISDS in the Netherlands: a roadmap. In the report, we highlight the Netherlands’ role in the ISDS system and offer practical guidance on phasing out ISDS.
-
Dossier /Rights for People, Rules for Corporations – Stop ISDS!
Indigenous communities in Paraguay saw their attempts to regain their ancestral lands thwarted by German investors. In Indonesia, US-based mining companies succeeded to roll back new laws that were meant to boost the country’s economic development and protect its forests. This is the level of impact that investment treaties can have on social, environmental and economic development and rights. Why? Because of the ‘Investor-to-State Dispute Settlement’ clauses that are included in many such treaties.
-
Publication / 14 April 2026
-
Publication / 10 April 2026
-
News / 10 April 2026Both ENDS: strengthened FMO complaints mechanism is a step forward, but major gaps remain
Both ENDS welcomes the strengthened Independent Complaints Mechanism (ICM) of development finance institutions FMO, DEG and Proparco as an important step forward in accountability. Working directly with communities affected by development projects, we see daily how essential it is that people can access justice when they are harmed in the name of development. For many communities, this mechanism is one of the few avenues through which harm can be formally recognised and addressed in relation to these development banks.
-
News / 9 April 2026Minister Sjoerdsma hosts roundtable conversations with civil society
This week, Minister Sjoerdsma organized roundtable conversations with civil society organizations – a valuable initiative that brings together Dutch civil society voices to address critical challenges faced by democratic societies.
-
News / 26 March 2026New project: Climate Accountability in EU Trade
Through its new project “Climate Accountability in EU Trade: Testing the SEP and DAGs for Climate-Linked FTA Enforcement” Both ENDS, with support from the European Climate Foundation, is exploring how the European complaints mechanism (SEP) and Domestic Advisory Groups (DAGs) can be more effectively used to advance climate accountability. The project runs for 13 months, until end of 2026.
-
News / 24 March 2026Statement: Invest in local leadership for tropical forest management and local economies
IUCN-NL, Both ENDS, and 16 other Dutch and international civil society organizations (CSOs), networks, and expert groups are calling on the Dutch government to invest more strongly in locally led forest management and forest-based economies. This should be done within the framework of Dutch international cooperation and its associated policy instruments.
-
News / 19 March 2026Winners of the ILED ‘Women Are Educators Award’ announced
Our partner organisation ILED (Indigenous-led Education Network) announced the seven winners of the ILED ‘Women Are Educators Award’ this month. These are women who play extraordinary roles in passing on knowledge, whether in formal or informal educational settings.
