In August 2023, the federal government launched a new edition of the Growth Acceleration Program (Novo PAC), promising to boost the national economy through infrastructure investments aligned with the Ecological Transformation Plan. However, a new analysis by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio), in collaboration with the Amazônia 2030 project, warns that the program risks repeating past mistakes and exacerbating inequalities if it fails to incorporate a strategic and tailored vision for the Amazon.

Authored by researchers Joana Chiavari (Research Director, CPI/PUC-Rio), Gabriel Cozendey, and Luiza Antonaccio (Senior Legal Analysts, CPI/PUC-Rio), the study assesses how the planned investments under Novo PAC affect the Amazon region across four crucial sectors: logistics, connectivity, sanitation, and energy.

The research highlights that, despite the broad presence of projects in the Legal Amazon, the distribution of investments does not reflect the real needs of the local population. States like Acre and Amapá, which rank among the worst in infrastructure indicators, receive little attention from the program. Moreover, there is a disconnect between Novo PAC and the national deforestation reduction goals set in the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon (PPCDAm).

According to the study, Novo PAC still follows an investment logic conceived outside the Amazon and for areas beyond the Amazon. “It is essential to develop infrastructure that respects regional diversity and contributes to improving the lives of the local population,” the analysis states.

The study also criticizes the inclusion of high environmental impact projects—such as the Ferrogrão railway and the paving of the BR-319 highway—in preserved forest areas, without considering less harmful alternatives that are more aligned with efficient land use and the promotion of the bioeconomy. The authors argue that long-term plans, such as the National Logistics Plan (PNL), should begin to incorporate socio-environmental criteria and a strategic vision for the region.

Among the recommendations are the creation of a specific development plan for the Amazon, with tailored solutions for the region’s diverse contexts—such as Forested Amazon, Deforested Amazon, and Amazon Under Pressure—and improved transparency and qualification of public investment decision-making processes.

According to the researchers, aligning Novo PAC with sustainability goals and the real needs of the Amazon is not only a matter of social and environmental justice but a fundamental condition for the program’s long-term success.