Just Transition? Environmental Racism and Wind Energy in Brazil

Abstract

Wind energy has expanded rapidly in Brazil in recent years, accounting for 15.2% of national electricity generation in 2023. This growth, however, has been accompanied by socioenvironmental conflicts in communities located near wind farms, including livelihood disruptions, forced displacement, and health impacts. Using national census data and georeferenced information on existing and planned wind farms, we examined the racial composition of census tracts hosting these facilities across six states in Brazil’s Northeast Region, which concentrates 91% of the country’s wind power capacity. Our analysis shows that between 56% and 73% of these census tracts, depending on the state, have proportions of racialized groups (Black, Brown, and Indigenous populations) above their respective municipal averages. These findings underscore the need to improve public participation and community consultation processes for wind energy projects in Brazil in order to mitigate the reproduction of structural racism in the sector.