In June, threats to Atlantic Forest protection, the "Marco Temporal" thesis undermining indigenous rights, attempts to relax environmental licensing, and other anti-environmental bills circulated through the Legislative branch. This sparked mass demonstrations in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Santa Catarina, and the Federal District. Under the slogan "Environmental policies matter," civil society joined organizations already opposing these setbacks. 

The SOS Mata Atlântica team participated in rallies in São Paulo and Brasília. We also projected messages onto iconic buildings of the National Congress in defense of the Atlantic Forest and in São Paulo, calling for President Lula to veto harmful amendments to the biome.

SOS Mata Atlântica has established strong relationships with the Brazilian media, which recognizes us as a reliable source of information on the Atlantic Forest. However, 2023 was exceptional. We were cited in over 7,000 pieces across radio, TV, print, and digital platforms of national outlets—nearly double the previous year. Coverage included prominent programs like Jornal Nacional in seven editions, Jornal Hoje, Jornal da Globo, and CBN radio, along with 11 authored articles in newspapers such as O Estado de S. Paulo, Valor Econômico, Folha de S. Paulo, and specialized outlets like Congresso em Foco, Um Só Planeta, and O Eco.

The most resonant topics were deforestation in the biome, with over 1,100 news items using data from the Deforestation Alert System (SAD), designed for rapid responses to developments on the ground. The complementary roles of the annual Atlas da Mata Atlântica report, crucial for historical deforestation context, and recent SAD data also garnered significant media attention, with over 650 mentions.

Monitoring data on water quality in Atlantic Forest rivers, released in March, and on the Tietê River in September, were the second most discussed subjects, with 300 and 350 mentions, respectively. Other highlights included coverage of MP1150 and the Climate Conference in Dubai.

We also saw increased international media placements, rising from 23 in 2022 to 100 in 2023. 

Jornal Nacional | Senate to review MP already approved in the Chamber, loosening Atlantic Forest protection rules | Globoplay

Jornal Nacional | Deforestation in Atlantic Forest drops 42% nationwide | Globoplay

Jornal da Globo | World Water Day: 20% of Atlantic Forest rivers unfit for human use | Globoplay

É de Casa | Blitz do Tempo: Why most rivers are polluted | Globoplay

Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter

·       reached over 40 million people

·       content viewed over 54 million times

·       generated over 1 million post interactions

A highlight was our campaign against MP1150 and advocating for the importance of the Atlantic Forest Law. We posted 309 times about these topics across our Foundation's social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube), reaching 4,574,681 people in 2023.

In December, we launched our new Foundation portal, featuring a refreshed look and optimized for different devices—computers and mobile screens—to ensure easy access to all content related to the Atlantic Forest biome. 

We were among the top three environmental profiles in Brazil in 2023, according to the iBest Awards, and received recognition at the TikTok Awards 2023 in the #TikTokForGood category. 

With over 80 million users in Brazil, the platform highlights our success in using new communication channels to engage new audiences in Atlantic Forest conservation efforts.

The symbol in our Foundation's logo originated from our first campaign. The text read, "They are taking the green from our land," with an image showing the green from Brazil's flag fading away. Over 30 years later, deforestation still threatens this biome, which cannot afford to lose another square meter of forest. More than just preserving what remains, it has become equally urgent to restore what has been lost.

Therefore, at the 2023 "Viva a Mata" event, traditionally held in May, we redefined our flag with an eye toward the future, understanding that standing forests benefit not only the people of this country but also contribute to the global challenge of climate change.

Under the slogan "Returning the green to the planet. That is our flag," we organized events in seven parks and an indigenous land in São Paulo and Itu, involving hundreds of participants and the donation of 250 native tree seedlings.

During the ceremony, we honored Shirley Krenak, an indigenous leader from Minas Gerais; Raull Santiago, an activist and content creator from Complexo do Alemão in Rio de Janeiro; the Unblocking Minds Project ("Desengarrafando Mentes"), part of the Observing the Rivers program, which aided families affected by extreme weather on the northern coast of São Paulo; and Elton Leme, a self-taught researcher who discovered approximately 600 species of bromeliads throughout his life.

In various ways, with diverse voices, we celebrated Mata Atlântica Day and the biome that is home to so many.