Rafaela Ferreira

Brazilian environmental lawyer protecting Amazon biodiversity through legal innovation

Rafaela Ferreira, a lawyer from Manaus, Brazil, has pioneered legal strategies to combat deforestation in the Amazon. Her 2020 nonprofit Amazonacores uses satellite monitoring and AI to detect illegal logging, resulting in 17 major court cases against multinational corporations. She developed the Biocredits System, allowing companies to offset emissions by funding indigenous land protection. In 2023, her work led to Brazil's first-ever IBAMA injunction halting a major hydroelectric project threatening uncontacted tribes. Rafaela's Forest Guardians program trains 300+ indigenous rangers annually in drone surveillance and legal documentation.

Her 2022 book 'Amazon Protectors' details 25 successful legal battles against illegal mining operations. Rafaela co-founded the Pan-Amazon Legal Network, connecting 50+ environmental lawyers across 8 countries. In 2024, she testified before the UN Human Rights Council about indigenous land rights, leading to updated international legal standards. Her innovative Blockchain Land Registry project, launched in 2025, uses immutable records to prove indigenous land ownership - currently protecting 12 million acres from land grabs.