Hydropower Dams, Deforestation, and Land Use Change: Evidence from Brazil

Key Points

• Land use change significantly increases due to hydropower dams, impacting local ecosystems.
• Deforestation rates near hydropower dams are shown to rise by 30% in affected regions.
• Observational analysis maps changes in land use around hydropower installations across Brazil.
• This analysis highlights urgent environmental challenges and the need for sustainable energy planning.