Lilian Motta

A Brazilian environmental lawyer instrumental in protecting the Amazon rainforest through legal advocacy and community engagement.

Lilian Motta (b. 1958) is a Brazilian environmental lawyer whose legal strategies have safeguarded vast tracts of the Amazon rainforest. Born in Belém, Pará, she began her career in 1980s environmental law, representing indigenous communities against illegal logging. Her breakthrough came in 1992 during the Rio Earth Summit, where she drafted clauses ensuring indigenous land rights were protected under international law.

Motta pioneered the "Community Forest Management" model, which empowered local populations to legally manage their territories. This approach reduced deforestation rates in pilot regions by 70% between 1995-2005 according to Amazonia Institute. Her 1998 legislation mandating environmental impact assessments for all Amazon projects became a blueprint for global conservation law.

In 2001, she co-founded the SOS Amazonia Network, a coalition of NGOs and legal teams that successfully sued over 150 companies for illegal activities. Her advocacy led to Brazil's 2004 "Amazon Protection Law", which created buffer zones around critical ecosystems. Motta's work was featured in the National Geographic documentary "Guardians of the Forest" (2007), bringing global attention to Amazonian struggles.

Today, Motta chairs the Rainforest Alliance Brazil, training new generations of environmental lawyers. Her legal frameworks have been adopted in Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador, proving that community-led conservation can coexist with economic development. Over 12 million hectares of Amazon forest remain protected due to her legal innovations, a testament to her enduring impact.