Isabela Moraes

Brazilian environmental leader transforming waste management through community-based solutions

Isabela Moraes is a Brazilian environmental engineer and founder of Instituto Pura, an organization pioneering community-driven environmental solutions since 2007. Her work focuses on redefining waste management through education and circular economy practices, particularly in marginalized urban areas.

Moraes' signature initiative, the "Zero Waste Cities" program, has achieved remarkable results in cities like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. By training local communities to sort and recycle waste, the program has diverted 85% of household waste from landfills in participating neighborhoods. The model has been replicated in 12 Latin American countries through the Latin American Network for Circular Economy.

In 2021, Moraes launched the "Plastic Free Oceans" campaign, collaborating with coastal communities to reduce marine plastic pollution. Her team developed biodegradable packaging materials from algae, now used by 500+ Brazilian businesses. The project received the UN's Momentum for Change Award in 2022.

A vocal advocate for environmental justice, Moraes has testified before the Brazilian Congress on waste management policies and co-authored the 2023 National Circular Economy Strategy. Her TED Talk "How to Turn Garbage Into Gold" has become required viewing in environmental studies programs worldwide.