140
Prosecutor’s Office filed a series of lawsuits to stop the complex which essentially
pits one branch of the government against the other. The cases went to the country’s
Supreme Court, but judgements have been deferred, and the construction of the
Belo Monte Dam has been allowed to proceed.
In 2011, construction on the $14 billion Belo Monte Dam finally began. The
complex of canals, reservoirs, dikes, and two dams is located on the northern part of
the Xingu river, where the river makes a giant U-turn called the Volta Grande. The
project, which will have a maximum generating capacity of 11, 233 megawatts and
is slated to be completed in 2020, has divided the country between those who see it
as a way to deliver needed energy and those who condemn it as a social, environmental, and financial disaster (Brown 2014).
3.2 The European Union
The European Union, once considered as leaders in addressing climate change, are
now talking about diluting their clean-energy ambitions. A deep and lasting economic slowdown and persistently high prices for renewable energy are causing the
European Union’s policy making body to allow exploration for shale gas using the
disputed technique known as hydraulic fracturing.
As well, the European Commission’s energy and climate proposals will probably
include binding targets of reducing emissions by 35 to 40% by 2030 but the targets
will likely be applied across the EU rather than to individual nations. Some officials
want to make the new targets for renewable energy non-binding. A spokesman for
the German Renewable Energy Federation, which represents the wind and solar
industry, called an absence of binding goals for renewables “totally disappointing”
and said that it would contribute to a marked reduction in the pace of expansion of
renewables. It appears that environmental concerns have slipped down the political
agenda in the face of complaints about rising energy costs. As well, Germany’s plan
to close its nuclear power plants and build up renewable energy is running into
problems. However, the German environmental minister still says, “Europe must
remain a leader in climate protection (Reed et al. 2014).”
4 Growing Public Awareness of Climate Change
in the 21st Century
As noted previously, one of the values of having constitutional guarantees regarding
environmental rights are extra legal effects. These include the evolution of public
opinion, attitudes, values and behaviour that may arise as a result of the existence of
a constitutional provision. Since the publication of Boyd’s book there has been an
substantial growth in public awareness of climate.
A. Venton
Prosecutor’s Office filed a series of lawsuits to stop the complex which essentially
pits one branch of the government against the other. The cases went to the country’s
Supreme Court, but judgements have been deferred, and the construction of the
Belo Monte Dam has been allowed to proceed.
In 2011, construction on the $14 billion Belo Monte Dam finally began. The
complex of canals, reservoirs, dikes, and two dams is located on the northern part of
the Xingu river, where the river makes a giant U-turn called the Volta Grande. The
project, which will have a maximum generating capacity of 11, 233 megawatts and
is slated to be completed in 2020, has divided the country between those who see it
as a way to deliver needed energy and those who condemn it as a social, environmental, and financial disaster (Brown 2014).
3.2 The European Union
The European Union, once considered as leaders in addressing climate change, are
now talking about diluting their clean-energy ambitions. A deep and lasting economic slowdown and persistently high prices for renewable energy are causing the
European Union’s policy making body to allow exploration for shale gas using the
disputed technique known as hydraulic fracturing.
As well, the European Commission’s energy and climate proposals will probably
include binding targets of reducing emissions by 35 to 40% by 2030 but the targets
will likely be applied across the EU rather than to individual nations. Some officials
want to make the new targets for renewable energy non-binding. A spokesman for
the German Renewable Energy Federation, which represents the wind and solar
industry, called an absence of binding goals for renewables “totally disappointing”
and said that it would contribute to a marked reduction in the pace of expansion of
renewables. It appears that environmental concerns have slipped down the political
agenda in the face of complaints about rising energy costs. As well, Germany’s plan
to close its nuclear power plants and build up renewable energy is running into
problems. However, the German environmental minister still says, “Europe must
remain a leader in climate protection (Reed et al. 2014).”
4 Growing Public Awareness of Climate Change
in the 21st Century
As noted previously, one of the values of having constitutional guarantees regarding
environmental rights are extra legal effects. These include the evolution of public
opinion, attitudes, values and behaviour that may arise as a result of the existence of
a constitutional provision. Since the publication of Boyd’s book there has been an
substantial growth in public awareness of climate.
A. Venton