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BLUE AMAZON: THE RIO GRANDE

RISE AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT
ON OFFSHORE MINING IN BRAZIL

Rodrigo Fernandes More
Claudia Maria Rezende de Souza

1. Introduction

The term Amazônia Azul (Blue Amazon) the sustainable exploitation of living and
was born in 2004, in the pages of Folha de non-living resources.
S. Paulo on February 25th. In the Trends and This excellent starting point highlights
Debates section, the then commander of the the Blue Amazon as a multidimensional
Brazilian Navy, Fleet Admiral Roberto de Gui- concept. At least five key dimensions drive
marães Carvalho, presented a very upbeat Brazil’s expansion into the ocean: geo-
and profound comparative association be- graphic, economic, environmental, scientif-
tween the riches of the sea and those of the ic, and technological, and legal.
Green Amazon: “However, there is another The coastal region delimits the geo-
Amazon, whose existence is still as ignored graphic dimension, the waters and airspace
by most Brazilians as it was for many centu- overlying the territorial sea, the contiguous
ries. This is the ‘Amazônia Azul’ (‘Blue Ama- zone, the exclusive economic zone, and the
zon’) which, larger than the green one, is un- marine soil and subsoil comprised by the
imaginably rich. It would be, for all reasons, Brazilian continental shelf (BCS). The water
convenient for us to take care of it before the surface area comprises about 3.5 million
threats are realized” (FOLHA, 2004). km2; the surface area of the BCS is about
The text goes on to highlight the geo- 5.5 million km2, including the space beyond
graphic dimensions of the Blue Amazon: the 200 nautical miles under analysis by the
concentration of occupation of the coastal Commission on the Limits of the Continen-
territory (80% of the population living with- tal Shelf (CLCS). This dimension delimits Bra-
in a range of up to 200 km from the sea); the zil’s jurisdiction over people and resources.
importance of maritime transport and ports The economic dimension highlights the
for trade; the oil and gas; fishing; and min- importance of the Blue Amazon as a pro-
ing. Finally, the admiral concludes by high- vider of goods and services, job creation,
lighting the importance of the Navy having food production, non-renewable (oil and
the means to monitor, protect and enforce gas) and offshore renewable (tidal, wind
Brazil’s rights at sea, based on policies for and solar) energy generation, aquaculture,

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Blue Amazon: The Rio Grande Rise