Brazil’s first private Amazon road paves new trade route to China

Mongabay
Mongabay
3M ago
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Brazil has privatized a section of the BR-364 highway to enhance trade routes to China, raising environmental concerns over deforestation.
Brazil’s first private Amazon road paves new trade route to China
A What happened
The Brazilian government has initiated a 30-year privatization of the BR-364 highway, a crucial route for exporting commodities to China. This project is part of a broader strategy to enhance South American trade by linking Brazil's agribusiness sector to Pacific ports in Peru. While the government emphasizes the economic benefits, environmentalists express concerns that expanding the highway could trigger new waves of deforestation, attracting illegal loggers and land grabbers. Historically, the BR-364 has been associated with significant environmental degradation, and critics fear that the current initiative may repeat these past mistakes. The project includes substantial investments for modernization and maintenance, but the potential ecological impact remains a contentious issue.
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Key insights

  • 1

    Trade Corridor Development: The BR-364 highway aims to streamline commodity exports to China.

  • 2

    Environmental Concerns: Critics warn of potential deforestation and illegal logging.

  • 3

    Historical Context: The highway has a history of contributing to significant deforestation.

  • 4

    Economic Investment: A consortium will invest over $2 billion to modernize the highway.

  • 5

    Indigenous Protests: Indigenous groups have raised concerns over environmental impacts.

Takeaways

The privatization of the BR-364 highway presents both economic opportunities and significant environmental risks.

Topics

Climate & Environment Agriculture Climate Change