Beatriz Pinto

Brazilian environmental lawyer fighting illegal logging in the Amazon

Beatriz Pinto is a human rights attorney from Brazil specializing in environmental justice. As director of Amazonia Legal, she leads high-profile cases against illegal loggers and land grabbers in the Amazon. Her legal strategies have resulted in over 1.2 million hectares of rainforest being returned to Indigenous communities by 2024, and secured $87 million in fines against logging companies.

Pinto pioneered the use of satellite evidence in environmental lawsuits, a method now adopted by 15 Latin American countries. She works closely with Indigenous leaders like Chief Raoni Metuktire, co-founding the 2021 'Guardians of the Forest' coalition. Her efforts contributed to a 34% reduction in Amazon deforestation rates between 2020-2023. Pinto was named one of Time Magazine's 'Next Generation Leaders' in 2022 and received the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2024. She advocates for 'climate justice through law,' stating 'The Amazon isn't just trees - it's a living library of biodiversity and Indigenous wisdom.'