IIRSA, THE GROWTH ACCELERATION PROGRAM (PAC), AND THE ENVIRONMENT: ADVANCING INTEGRATION, RECEDING FORESTS, AND DISPOSSESSED PEOPLES

Abstract

This article discusses the environmental and socio-territorial impacts of the Initiative for the Integration of the Regional Infrastructure of South America (IIRSA) and Brazil's Growth Acceleration Program (PAC) on South American biomes, Indigenous peoples, and traditional communities. The study adopts a systematic literature review approach based on national and international academic publications, official documents, and empirical data on deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and violations of Indigenous rights. The findings indicate that the developmental logic underpinning IIRSA and the PAC continues to generate significant tensions between infrastructure expansion, environmental protection, and the safeguarding of territorial rights. Although these initiatives have increasingly incorporated references to sustainability and social participation in recent years, the literature reviewed reveals persistent gaps in the implementation of effective socio-environmental governance mechanisms.