Ane Alencar, director of science at IPAM (Amazon Environmental Research Institute), is included on the list of 101 Brazilians shaping the future, released this Sunday, the 26th, by O Globo, as an environmental leader. The initiative marks the newspaper’s 101st anniversary.
One of the country’s leading researchers on wildfires and deforestation in the Amazon and the Cerrado, Alencar has worked in the field for over 30 years, linking the impacts of nature’s destruction to the effects of climate change, as well as the harmful feedback loop that arises from this scenario.
The inclusion on O Globo’s list is yet another recognition of Alencar as a leading figure in Brazilian science and in the search for solutions to address the climate emergency and for ways to live in harmony with the planet.
A page from the newspaper O Globo features Ane Alencar among the 101 Brazilians shaping the future
“I am very grateful to the newspaper O Globo for this recognition, which is the result of years of work dedicated primarily to the issue of wildfires,” she comments. “Forest fires in Brazil are a crucial issue for the success of climate policies. Without fire control, it is not possible to move forward with the measures necessary for the health of people and nature, putting into practice the sustainable development we talk so much about.”
A Restless Optimist
Alencar began her career at IPAM as an intern—back when the institution didn’t even have a name—and today leads a team of more than 60 scientists across Brazil and the world, each specializing in different areas.
“The challenges have never been greater, but we’ve also never produced so much knowledge, technology, and successful experiences to tackle them. That’s why I consider myself a restless optimist. The problem is no longer a lack of solutions, but a lack of speed and political priority to put them into practice. There is still time to change this trajectory, but the window of opportunity is closing rapidly,” she says.
A native of Belém, Alencar holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography from UFPA (Federal University of Pará), a master’s degree in Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems from Boston University, and a Ph.D. in Forest Resources and Conservation from the University of Florida, both in the United States.
Scars and Dreams
In 1996, in one of her early studies, Alencar coined the term “fire scars” when identifying areas burned by forest fires in the Amazon on printed satellite images. This discovery led to the development of initiatives such as MapBiomas Fogo, a network of organizations—coordinated by her—that produces an annual map of fire scars across the entire country.
Ane Alencar working on fire scars in 1996 (IPAM Collection)
The director has received international recognition for her work on fire and the use of technology in land-use science. She was the first researcher from Latin America to be included on the list of Women Leaders in Machine Learning for Earth Observation in 2022. Back in 2018, she was named by the scientific journal *Fire* as one of the world’s leading experts in fire science.
“My greatest dream is to help ensure that forest fires cease to be a threat to tropical forests. I dream of seeing fire prevention and integrated fire management established as permanent public policies, allowing us to protect these forests, the people who live in them, and the vital role they play in the stability of the planet’s climate,” she concludes.