BEYOND RHETORIC: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AMAZON

Abstract

The Amazon region is environmentally and socially diverse from other Brazilian regions, but it has been the target of inconsistencies in the implementation of public policies that negatively interfere with the development of the state, with harmful effects mainly for the capital Manaus. The great importance of the Amazon rainforest for the sustainability of the planet and the frequent attacks on natural wealth, motivate this work that seeks to alert to problems such as rural exodus, overpopulation of urban centers and the consequent negative effects on the quality of life of the population, problems connected to desertification and degradation of the Amazon environment. These themes have been addressed by renowned scientists and many national and international publications denounce the economic interests involved in public policies that masquerade as "developmentalist". This article talks to these experts, concluding about the extreme difficulty of overcoming the populist policies that have culturally marked the history of the region. It also reflects on the modernization and development policies of the State of Amazonas, highlighting the contradictions and reflecting on the consequences of this development model, which conflicts with the preservation of the region's natural resources.