Department of Journalism, Media and Communication (JMK) STOCKHOLM UNIVERSITY

Implementing Necessary Talks

Communication as a tool for empowerment, equality and justice in environmental licensing studying a case in Chapada dos Veadeiros, Brazil Giovana Silva Lerda Development communication today focuses greatly on public participation as a way to improve democratic governance. At a time of much concern regarding the worlds environment, this study applies strategic communication theory to the process of environmental licensing for a major infrastructure project in the Tocantinzinho River, Chapada dos Veadeiros. The Tocantinzinho river runs through the endemic Cerrado ecosystem and has been target of private investments for over 50 years for its valuable energetic potential. There have been previous proposals for exploitation of the river, but they have been denied. Pioneered by the state of Gois, a state law dictates that in order to propose any changes in a riverbed, an Integral Hydrographic Basin study (IHB) must be carried out. It analyzes the collective risks imposed by the hypothetical hydroelectric projects visualized in an inventory. If the IHB study is approved by the Gois State Environment and Hydric Resources Secretariat, then the companies have to do an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for each and every hydroelectric power project suggested. Although the original proposal for one enormous hydroelectric power project was denied, the Tocantinzinho IHB study resulted in a new proposal for the installation of a series of smaller hydroelectric power projects visualized in the original inventory, called Small Hydroelectric Stations (SHS). This is the stage at which the Tocantinzinho IHB study case is observed in this paper the public scrutiny of the IHB study upon which the state of Gois could grant or deny authorization for EIA studies to be carried out for the SHS. When such large investments are at stake, multiple interests come into play, creating a complex triangle between government, the private sector and the communities that inhabit the area of interest. Assuming that efcient communication leads to knowledge and empowerment, this study examines to what extent public consultation processes in the Chapada dos Veadeiros region are symmetrical characterized by fairness and equality. The analysis is done through a discussion on whether the resolutions and laws that regulate public hearings are being implemented, as well as a reection on what could be improved. Theoretical Framework One of the greatest challenges to keep in mind for this study is that, though it resides within the realms of the academic media & communications eld, it also has its roots on several other elds, ranging from development studies and political science to law and sustainable development. Acknowledging the transdisciplinary, multi-criterial nature of this research, this executive summary refers to the theoretical core that resides outside of technical communications theory. According to Oxford professor Bent Flyvbjerg the economic and political stakes surrounding megaprojects are generally so pressing that approval processes are characterized by the survival of the unttest. Flyvbjergs formula for this states that underestimated costs + overestimated revenues + undervalued environmental impacts + overvalued economic development effects = project approval (Flyvbjerg, 2003). Given that framework, this study adds undervalued social impacts to Flyvbjergs equation and recognizes that, as a consequence of the mentioned common characteristics of megaprojects, a series of maladies appear to be the norm: particularly a general misinformation about costs, benets and risks surrounding the projects. Misinformation will ultimately affect not only the
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nancial cost of a project and the level of impact on the environment, but also the communities around the area. Public hearings are, according to Brazilian law, a necessary component of the development process in order for the government to gather knowledge of local communitys opinions and needs information which often leads to invaluable native knowledge of the areas. However, lack of formal western style of education among the affected rural communities, coupled with limited information processes both within the government and with the involved private companies often lead to unequal decision-making processes and strained relations between the stakeholders involved, creating relationships ruled by power and often imbalance. Power, according to media theorist Manuel Castells, is primarily exercised by the construction of meaning in the human mind through processes of communication enacted in global/local multimedia networks of mass communication (Castells, 2009: 416). Mass communication in this case is seen as the efforts made by government or companies to inform and communicate with the communities affected by the Tocantinzinho project. Power, in this study, goes beyond nancial or social status, and is attributed to knowledge. Knowledge for example of the local area, the consequences of dams and hydropower plants, as well as the rights and obligations dened by the law surrounding such activities; it is this knowledge that gives people the capacity to participate, change or voice opinion in decision-making processes. Together with participatory communication theory, this study views public participation as a tool for better governance of natural resources, for which there are two relevant models of governance present at its core. Ellinor Ostroms theory on governing the commons goods and resources that are of free access to all and not privately owned highlights polycentric governance, as opposed to central government-run management, and the power of groups getting together in public participation towards better management of their resources (Ostrom, 1990). In contrast, Paul Collier differs from the idea of public management, stating that it is governments that should regulate resources through laws and scal measures. His The Bottom Billion argues for institutional attitudes, focusing on what actions governments can take to get out of the traps, such as military intervention, laws and policy implementation (Collier, 2008). It is by comparing and combining Colliers belief in a market regulations perspective on governance, to Ostroms ideas of multi-level and polycentric governance, that one may begin to understand how communications ts in a context of democratic governance. Ostroms expectations of peoples capacity to get together to manage a common interest is fruitless if not accompanied by Colliers ideas of government regulations, monetary incentives and laws that properly address and protect all interests and give opportunity for all to be heard. It is important to note that although they dwell within the world of political science and economics, both their visions give a basis for discussion on how governance of natural resources such as a river about to be dammed for hydroelectric power installations should be approached. Method Given the studys focus on community participation and due to the highly complex nature of interaction between the stakeholders in this case, the method of choice is an ethnographic eld study. It enables a researchers observation and analysis to take place from within a phenomenon, in real-time. This way one can observe a phenomenon in its entirety, allowing a more thorough analysis. The data collection was done through participant observations in two public hearings, a series of interviews to support and compare the observations, and document analysis to check whether regulations by CONAMA and the Gois Secretariat of Environment on public hearings have been followed. These three methods serve as base to answer the key research questions: 1) Is information sufcient and available, for communities to make informed decisions and have leverage in public hearings?
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2) Are the public consultation/communication processes in the Tocantinzinho IHB study case characterized by equality between the actors? 3) Are there any communication problems? What are the possible communication problems? The research analyzes the interaction between the following actors: 1) SEMARH Gois, the Gois State Environment and Hydric Resources Secretariat, responsible for environmental licensing in the state of Gois 2) Public Ministry, public lawyers and prosecutors working both at the federal and state level 3) The entrepreneurs, Rialma energy company 4) Communities affected by the IHB study: Alto Paraso, So Joo da Aliana, Colinas do Sul 5) Both environmental consultants that carried out the IHB study to analyze the Tocantinzinho rivers hydroelectric capacity: Ambientare - Solues Ambientais LTDA. and BBM Consultoria Ambiental. This study will refer to them as Ambientare and BBM. The ethnographic study analyzes the communication practices of the actors as social actions that reect power relations. Such method and framework makes it possible to see if and where there are gaps, as well as how communication practices can be reformulated in order to improve social relations and public participation processes. Findings & Recommendations When this research began, there were many preconceptions about the roles of government, private sector and the community, in public participation processes. However, all actors in the Tocantinzinho case have been heard and considered and all sides have gaps in their actions that create friction in the communication processes. Looking back at our key questions, it appears that from a development communication perspective, information processes previous to public hearings are far from ideal. The information is not sufcient and not available enough for communities to make informed decisions and have leverage in the public hearings. With the exception of a few interested environmentalists in Alto Paraso who are selfinformed and independently searched for knowledge of the processes, the public hearing and interviews showed that the community was not well informed. Native community members were confused about the purpose of public hearings, unsure of who the sender and what the message was, as well as of how the presence of Rialma and the SHS could affect their lives. The IHB study report is aimed at people with high levels of technical knowledge in the academic natural sciences. The communities affected by the project are both unaware of the studys existence and unable to understand its content. The Tocantinzinho IHB study case was not characterized by equality between the actors, mainly because of the gaps in education and knowledge, so common in societies where a small percentage of the population holds most knowledge, income and power. A general disrespect rules the relationships. On one side the environmentalist community members, the Public Ministry and Ministry of Environment and on the other, rural community members who just want basic access to electricity, the private company proposing the project and Ministry of Mining and Energy. Both sides approach each other with very little patience, when the path towards improving these processes should be based on understanding for dialogue and respect between actors. Only through educational programs and understanding for the different backgrounds from stakeholders can a fair and equal dialogue be reached. The Tocantinzinho IHB study case had a series of communication problems. It was observed, throughout the research, that communication is not a factor considered important in the process. Although the regulations by CONAMA and the Gois Secretariat of Environment on public hearings are being followed, there are still many gaps to be lled in the process. This suggests that it is the
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policies and guidelines that should be reformulated, to better adopt an inclusive development communications perspective. Legal resolutions should contain more detailed descriptions of how information processes should take place, and professional development communications should be incorporated in the policy-making process as a must not only within the government licensing organ to better communicate with the public, but also as part of the private company team, to work specically with public participation throughout the licensing process of any project. A combination of Ostrom and Colliers theories would be the ideal solution to improve democratic governance in environmental licensing in Brazil. In order to create inclusive processes, sound policies should be combined with inclusive community participation, which in turn will be strengthened by development communications thinking. Participatory development communications can be used as a tool to diagnose how the participation of communities should take place at all stages of the licensing process, both before, during and after a license is issued or denied. Such participation is a form of evaluation by the Public Ministry and communities, validating the process and keeping transparency. This increases trust, benetting both the private sector, which will get approval and happier customers, but also the government, who has a lot to gain from a satised population. Future research in development communication and public participation could consist in reception studies at a later stage of a projects licensing process. This in order to investigate how communities take part in affecting the decision-making done by government agencies in more developed cases. Another very interesting aspect that this research did not cover is how indirectly affected communities can participate of consultation processes. They often do not count as affected communities and dont get to participate in the decision-making processes due to geographical positioning. Finally, this study concludes that environmental education should be applied to all areas of society, from preschool to different government agencies. Communications in turn, should be adopted as a necessary tool of sustainable growth, creating dialogue and serving as aid to patch wide gaps between stakeholders in environmental licensing processes. However, communication alone cannot get the job done. Solving the problem involves much planning, properly formulated public policy, political will, as well as education programs for both communities and the private sector. Communication alone is not the answer, but it is important and should be included as part of the solution.

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