Between transition and the permanence of injustice: Amazonian hydroelectrics, lived experience, and the paradox of "clean" energy

This paper addresses Sub-theme 7.3 by examining the paradigm of Climate Justice through the lens of large-scale energy mitigation projects. While hydroelectric dams in the Amazon are promoted as "clean" and "low-carbon" alternatives for the global energy transition, this study reveals the "paradox of the transition": how these projects produce and perpetuate deep territorial inequalities. The study employs a robust mixed-methods approach, combining a household survey (N=500) in Altamira’s urban area with the thematic analysis of 19 in-depth interviews with key stakeholders (indigenous leaders, youth activists, health professionals, and local officials). Survey results provide a stark quantitative baseline: the vast majority of local residents perceive the dam’s impact as overwhelmingly negative for the local population. Crucially, the data shows a clear perception that the "benefits" of the energy transition were captured by migrants and the Brazilian nation as a whole, while the local population was left with the socio-environmental "cost". The qualitative interviews deepen this finding, documenting what local actors call a "human pandemic"—a cycle of "boom-bust" economic instability, food insecurity, and the erosion of ribeirinho and indigenous identities. The analysis highlights an intersectional crisis: the displacement of women, the "extermination" of Black youth through urban violence, and the spiritual rupture of the community's bond with the Xingu River. By contrasting local perceptions of loss against national narratives of gain, this paper proposes a framework for "Post-Infrastructure Energy Justice". It argues that a truly just transition must move beyond carbon metrics to incorporate long-term territorial rights and the social autonomy of Amazonian communities.