Two Brazilian projects reach Premios Verdes 2026 finals in Ecuador

Projects from Rio de Janeiro and Fortaleza are among 52 finalists for the 11th Premios Verdes, which takes place Oct. 19-22 in Cuenca, Ecuador. The finalists highlight two sustainability paths in Brazil: ecological restoration tied to social reintegration and circular use of agroindustrial waste for family dairy farming.

Why it matters: - The two Brazilian finalists show how sustainability projects can deliver both environmental and social impact. - Replantando Vida links ecological restoration with work and training for people deprived of liberty. - Biovalor turns agroindustrial waste into animal feed inputs for family dairy farming, supporting circular economy goals. - Both projects reflect approaches that could be replicated across Latin America and the Caribbean.

What happened: - Two initiatives from Brazil advanced to the final round of the 11th Premios Verdes. - Replantando Vida: Restauração Ecológica para a Reintegração Social is based in Rio de Janeiro and is a finalist in the Human Development category. - Biovalor – Alimentação Animal Circular para a Pecuária Leiteira Familiar is based in Fortaleza and is a finalist in the Circular Economy category. - The Premios Verdes global event will be held Oct. 19-22 in Cuenca, Ecuador. - The event will bring together projects, specialists, partner organizations and sustainability leaders, along with jury deliberations and the awards ceremony.

The details: - The finalist selection began with an international call that drew 2,087 submissions from 29 countries and 613 cities. - Replantando Vida is led by Alan Henrique Marques de Abreu. - The Rio de Janeiro project combines environmental recovery with job opportunities for people deprived of liberty. - The program provides training and employment in ecological restoration work. - The initiative places its model in a country with more than 700,000 people deprived of liberty. - In Rio de Janeiro, less than 4% of that population has access to work. - The project also points to a broader environmental context in which about 27% of Brazil’s original Atlantic Forest remains. - Biovalor uses biotechnology and pelletizing processes to convert byproducts such as malt bagasse into productive inputs. - The Fortaleza project integrates rural cooperatives into a circular chain aimed at strengthening the economic and environmental sustainability of family dairy production. - Biovalor also seeks to reduce organic waste and cut emissions by partially replacing conventional inputs. - The 2026 edition of Premios Verdes includes 52 finalists from 12 countries across 10 categories.

Between the lines: - The Brazilian finalists fit two of the region’s strongest sustainability trends: restoration projects with social inclusion and production models that monetize waste. - Premios Verdes is using the finalist platform to connect local solutions with international visibility, financing networks and potential scale-up. - Gustavo Manrique, president of Premios Verdes, said innovation in Latin America stands out when science, territory, technology, communities and entrepreneurship are connected. - The competition has received more than 22,000 projects from 53 countries over more than a decade. - This year’s ecosystem includes support from organizations and companies such as PNUD, OIM, AENOR, LATAM, Banco Pichincha and Coca-Cola, among others.

What's next: - The two Brazilian projects will participate in the Premios Verdes 2026 global event in Cuenca from Oct. 19-22. - The program will include the jury’s deliberation and the awards ceremony. - Premios Verdes will continue positioning itself as a regional network for environmental innovation, social impact and sustainability.

The bottom line: - Brazil’s finalists show that climate and sustainability solutions in the region are moving beyond conservation alone and into jobs, food systems and circular production.