While the Brazilian Congress debated the controversial Environmental Licensing Bill (PL 2.159/21), known as the “Devastation Project,” IRI Brazil coordinated a coalition of more than 25 religious organizations to denounce the legislation.
The bill was framed as an ethical affront to the care of creation and public participation, with the campaign message highlighting its potential to dismantle licensing protocols and accelerate deforestation. The coalition’s open letter to Congress was amplified through a digital campaign that reached over 1.2 million views on social media and reached over 6 million people through affiliated religious networks.
Seven Instagram posts generated 300,000 organic impressions, driven by endorsements from evangelical digital influencers with large conservative followings. Despite the bill’s approval, the campaign contributed to making opposition to environmental rollbacks part of the religious discourse in Brazil, positioning IRI Brazil as a relevant actor in faith-based legislative advocacy and demonstrating how religious voices can shape public opinion and elevate the moral dimension of environmental and forest governance. See the open letter here.
View the open letter here.
