Energy infrastructure projects have long been associated with a lack of participation by impacted, local populations—this history is evident in the case of hydropower projects in the Global South. Ever since the World Commission on Dams’ Report (WCD 2000), there has been substantive evidence, and numerous recommendations, that have called on governments, financial agencies and construction companies to increase community engagement and participation in dam construction and in their governance thereafter. Further, community groups, activists, and scholars have long articulated the need for participatory governance in energy projects. In this analysis, we evaluate participation in institutionalized mechanisms provided by dam builders—such as public meetings and negotiations—in Brazil’s Madeira hydroelectric complex. We evaluate how perceptions of positive and negative impacts, among other factors, predict engagement, estimating a series of logit models based on a social survey of 673 households carried out in 2019/20. Perceptions of negative and positive impacts of the dams before construction are related to participation in the meetings promoted by dam builders. Yet our results also imply that participation was rare, fleeting, and insufficient and points to the need to ensure community engagement and governance to ensure energy justice in future dam projects in Brazil and elsewhere.

长期以来，能源基础设施项目与受影响的当地人口缺乏参与有关——这一历史在全球南方的水电项目中显而易见。自从世界水坝委员会的报告（WCD 2000）以来，已经有大量证据和大量建议呼吁政府、金融机构和建筑公司增加社区参与和参与水坝建设及其后的治理。此外，社区团体、活动家和学者长期以来一直明确表示需要在能源项目中进行参与式治理。在本分析中，我们评估了巴西马德拉水电综合体中大坝建设者提供的制度化机制的参与情况，例如公开会议和谈判。我们评估了对积极和消极影响的看法以及其他因素如何预测参与度，并根据 2019/20 年对 673 个家庭进行的社会调查估计了一系列 logit 模型。在建造前对大坝负面和正面影响的看法与参加由大坝建设者推动的会议有关。然而，我们的结果也表明参与是罕见的、短暂的和不足的，并指出需要确保社区参与和治理，以确保巴西和其他地方未来大坝项目的能源公正。在建造前对大坝负面和正面影响的看法与参加由大坝建设者推动的会议有关。然而，我们的结果也表明参与是罕见的、短暂的和不足的，并指出需要确保社区参与和治理，以确保巴西和其他地方未来大坝项目的能源公正。在建造前对大坝负面和正面影响的看法与参加由大坝建设者推动的会议有关。然而，我们的结果也表明参与是罕见的、短暂的和不足的，并指出需要确保社区参与和治理，以确保巴西和其他地方未来大坝项目的能源公正。