Brazilian-Paraguyan Itaipu Binational, a hydroelectric power plant built on the border between Brazil and Paraguay, which served as technical inspiration for the construction of Three Gorges Dam, in China, is now also an example of social-environmental good practices.
The Coordination and Environment director at Itaipu, Nelton Friedrich, presented the social-environmental actions developed at Paraná Basin 3 in an international symposium at the Chinese hydroelectric power plant.
In the symposium, promoted together with non-governmental organizations International Hydropower Association (IHA), The Nature Conservancy and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Friedrich spoke mainly about the Cultivating Good Water Program, a set of 20 programs and 63 projects developed with several partners in 29 cities in the area of influence of the mill, Paraná Basin 3.
According to the Itaipu director, receptiveness was very good. "Not only the managers of Three Gorges mill, but also the representatives of several organizations present at the event showed interest in learning about the program," he pointed out.
According to the executive, what attracted most attention was the management by microbasins, the involvement of several Itaipu partners, mainly of communities, and the way the company is reaching results in the environmental area.
The program has already generated several awards for Itaipu, domestic and international, like the Earth Letter and the 5th Brazilian Environmental Benchmarking.
"Apart from the work directly connected to water, the stimulation we gave to other practices also generated interest, like organic agriculture, environmental education and medicinal plants," said the Itaipu director.
According to him, the talk had immediate return. "The operations director at WWF in China, Zhu Chunqeuan, showed interest in exchange of information, whereas Refaat Abdel-Malek, president at IHA, said that he is going to bring to Itaipu representatives to know more about the program," explained Nelton.
Anba
