World Environment Day Rally in Rio de Janeiro Demands a ‘Sustainable Future With Thriving Forests, Clean Air, Water and Land for All and More Humane Urban Mobility’

Participants in the environmental rally hold an inflatable replica of Earth as they walk along Avenida Atlântica, in Copacabana. Photo: Bárbara Dias

On May 31, 2025, approximately 500 activists, favela leaders, Indigenous peoples, traditional communities, researchers, waste pickers, and environmental justice advocates gathered along Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beachfront for the Environmental Rally, organized by the Rio de Janeiro State Forum for Environment and Agriculture (Femaarj). Built collectively by 210 organizations, the mobilization called for climate justice, environmental democracy, and the fight against environmental racism. Participants highlighted issues such as inadequate sanitation, flooding, waste management, pollution, and social inequality, emphasizing that favelas and marginalized communities are disproportionately affected by environmental crises. The event concluded with the presentation of the Environmental Rally Pledge, a manifesto containing 23 demands focused on protecting natural resources, strengthening environmental governance, promoting a just energy transition, restoring ecosystems, and ensuring that vulnerable communities are placed at the center of climate decision-making processes.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE FULL REPORT

This article is part of a series created in partnership with the Behner Stiefel Center for Brazilian Studies at San Diego State University, to produce articles for the Digital Brazil Project on environmental justice in the favelas through RioOnWatch.