Brazil's leading environmental awards celebrate conservation initiatives

The 32nd edition of the Prêmio Expressão de Ecologia, Brazil's longest‑running environmental award, was held on 26 June at the Legislative Assembly in Florianópolis. Forty organizations were honored for projects spanning clean energy, water management, biodiversity protection and sustainable tourism, receiving the Troféu Onda Verde and the launch of the magazine Líderes de Expressão.

In a separate accolade, Brazilian biologist Fernanda Abra received the National Geographic Society's Wayfinder Award. The prize includes a US$50,000 grant and recognition as a National Geographic Explorer. Abra’s award honors her work with canopy‑bridge structures that enable safe wildlife crossings along the BR‑174 highway in the Amazon, a model now adopted by Brazil’s DNIT. Since 2021, the project has facilitated over 20,000 animal traversals and plans to expand to additional sites such as Alta Floresta and Lucas do Rio Verde.