Adriana Clerici

A Brazilian environmental lawyer leading rainforest conservation through indigenous partnerships

Adriana Clerici is an environmental attorney from São Paulo, Brazil, celebrated for her groundbreaking work with Amazonian indigenous communities since 2005. As founder of Justice for the Amazon, she developed the first legal framework allowing indigenous groups to directly manage 12 million hectares of rainforest. Her 2016 landmark case secured land titles for 34 Kayapo tribes, protecting areas critical for biodiversity. Clerici pioneered the 'Guardians of the Forest' program training 1,500+ indigenous rangers in drone surveillance and carbon credit management. Her 2020 report "The Role of Indigenous Knowledge in Climate Resilience" influenced Brazil's 2022 environmental policies. She also co-created the Amazon Carbon Exchange, a blockchain platform connecting indigenous groups with global carbon markets. Clerici's TED Talk 'Indigenous Wisdom in the Digital Age' (2021) has reached 3 million viewers, sparking global dialogue on traditional ecological knowledge. Time Magazine named her one of 'Heroes of the Environment' in 2023 for reducing deforestation rates by 40% in protected areas under her programs. Her work bridges modern technology with ancestral practices to combat climate change.