Porto de Pedras integrates environmental education into Brazil’s Carnival celebrations
On 14 February 2026, during Brazil’s Carnival, the municipality of Porto de Pedras, located in northeastern Brazil, held another edition of its “Blue Flag Carnival Parade” (Bloquinho Bandeira Azul). The initiative brought together culture, environmental education, and health promotion in a moment of celebration combined with awareness raising.
Organisedin partnership with the Municipality of Porto de Pedras, the Secretariat of Environment and the Secretariat of Tourism, the Blue Flag Carnival Parade demonstrates how different stakeholders can cooperate to draw attention to the local environment and its challenges.
The parade started at the “Green Tunnel,” a local natural corridor formed by coastal vegetation and continued to Patacho Beach, which was awarded the Blue Flag certification for four consecutive seasons.
Under the theme “The harm done to the environment is felt by the body,” the event addressed issues such as pollution, improper waste disposal, and environmental contamination, highlighting their direct impacts on public health and quality of life. Residents and visitors were invited to reflect on how individual and collective actions influence environmental and human well-being.
With a population of approximately 7,000 inhabitants, Porto de Pedras demonstrates that commitment to sustainability is not dependent on municipal size. The initiative reflects strong cooperation between local authorities and the community in promoting sustainable tourism and reinforcing practices aligned with Blue Flag principles.
The Municipal Secretary of Tourism, Lívia Crisiane, emphasised that the event strengthens both environmental protection and cultural identity. “The Blue Flag Carnival Parade allows us to celebrate while promoting care for our beaches and for people’s health. It is a way to welcome visitors responsibly and highlight our environmental commitment,” she stated.
The event also included awareness activities promoted by the Municipal Secretariat for Women’s Affairs, addressing the prevention of violence against women and expanding the social dimension of the initiative.
Brazil’s National Blue Flag Award Ceremony Celebrates Awarded Destinations and Brings Together Five Brazilian States in the city of Guarujá in São Paulo
Held at the Iate Clube de Santos, the event marked the beginning of the 2025/2026 season and recognized beaches and marinas for their environmental excellence and commitment to sustainable tourism.
The municipality of Guarujá, on the coast of São Paulo, hosted on October 31 the National Blue Flag Award Ceremony 2025, an event that officially marked the beginning of the new season of the program for the awarded destinations across five Brazilian states. Held at the Iate Clube de Santos, one of the country’s most traditional nautical clubs, the gathering brought together local authorities, mayors, environmental and tourism secretaries, as well as representatives from environmental organizations from all over Brazil. In this edition, 60 Brazilian destinations were approved by the national and international juries of the Blue Flag Program and will have the right to hoist the flag that symbolizes environmental quality, responsible management, and the promotion of sustainable tourism along the Brazilian coast.
Destinations from five states were recognized this season. The geographic distribution of the 2025/2026 Blue Flag includes six locations in the Northeast, one in Alagoas and five in Bahia. In the Southeast, there are 23 approvals, 19 in Rio de Janeiro and four in São Paulo. Santa Catarina, meanwhile, consolidates its position as the state with the largest number of awarded destinations, totaling 31 sites.
The mayor of Guarujá, Farid Madi, celebrated the award for Praia do Tombo, now reaching its 16th consecutive season with the Blue Flag award. “It is a great joy to host the national Blue Flag ceremony here in Guarujá. Praia do Tombo reaches its 16th season with the award, being the oldest in South America, and this fills our city with pride. This recognition reaffirms Guarujá’s commitment to sustainability, environmental quality, and the well-being of those who live in and visit our coastline. Hosting this national ceremony here makes the moment even more special,” the mayor highlighted. “For the Iate Clube de Santos, it is an honor to host this national ceremony and celebrate, together with the awarded destinations, the commitment to sustainability and the preservation of our seas. The award is a symbol of excellence, but also of collective responsibility. Here in Guarujá and at the club, we work to maintain an environmental management standard that inspires other clubs and coastal communities to follow the same path. Hosting this event reinforces our mission of promoting the conscious and sustainable use of the marine environment,” said Odoardo Lantieri, environmental manager and representative of the Iate Clube de Santos in Guarujá. The executive director of Instituto Ambientes em Rede, the organization responsible for promoting the program in Brazil, also celebrated the awarded destinations: “Behind each hoisted flag, there is a committed team, an engaged community, and a constant effort to make a difference. The Blue Flag recognizes precisely the work of those who believe sustainability is not a distant concept, but something built daily, through responsible decisions. In this edition, we have destinations from five states — Alagoas, Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina, and São Paulo — that demonstrate, through concrete actions, that it is possible to align tourism development with environmental conservation. This achievement is the result of collective work involving public authorities, the private sector, and local communities, all united by the common purpose of ensuring a more sustainable future for our coastline,” said Leana Bernardi, who is also the national coordinator of the program in Brazil.
Environmental Education Recognition Award– National Jury
The municipality of Bombinhas, in Santa Catarina, was recognized for its set of Environmental Education activities for the third consecutive year, receiving the Environmental Education Recognition Award, granted by the National Jury of the Blue Flag Program, for the initiatives carried out during the 2024/2025 season on the beaches of Conceição, Mariscal, Prainha de Mariscal, Quatro Ilhas and Tainha. Also in the Beaches category, highlights included the activity “Ghost Fishing: Protection of the Marine Environment,” conducted at Praia do Peró in Cabo Frio (RJ), and the video entitled “Dissemination of Knowledge on Climate Change,” developed by the beaches of Bombinhas (SC). In the Marinas category, recognition went to the set of activities by the Iate Clube de Santa Catarina – Veleiros da Ilha, in Florianópolis (SC), and the initiative “The Path of Waste to the Sea,” promoted by Marina Kauai in Ubatuba (SP).
Good Practice Competition – International Jury
This year, the International Jury of the Blue Flag Program granted Brazil three Good Practice Competition awards. In the Climate Adaptation category, the Iate Clube de Santa Catarina won in the Southern Hemisphere with the activity “Visit to an Oyster Farm – Mariculture, Climate, and the Ocean Economy.” In the Pollinator Loss Prevention category, the project “Iguaba Mais Verde,” from Praia de Ubás in Iguaba Grande (RJ), took second place. In the same category, Praia do Patacho in Porto de Pedras (AL) was also awarded for the activity “Sustainable Paths, Inclusion, and Nature.”
Awarded beaches and marinas must annually demonstrate compliance with the criteria established by FEE – Foundation for Environmental Education, the international organization responsible for overseeing the program. The criteria cover aspects such as environmental and heritage management, water quality, environmental education, safety and services, sustainable tourism, and social
responsibility.
The National Blue Flag Award Ceremony 2025 was organized by Instituto Ambientes em Rede, in partnership with the Municipality of Guarujá and the Iate Clube de Santos, with sponsorship from Embratur and support from the Visite Guarujá Convention & Visitors Bureau. The official flag hoisting will take place starting November 1, marking the beginning of the summer season in the Southern Hemisphere.
Credits: Matheus Bonfim
International announcement of Blue Flag Awarded sites - Southern Hemisphere 2025/2026 season
The second Blue Flag International Jury meeting of 2025 took place this past September, and we’re proud to announce that 21 new sites have received the Blue Flag award for the upcoming season in the Southern Hemisphere.
These sites join the previously awarded beaches, marinas, and tourism boats awarded by the International Jury in the Northern Hemisphere round that took place in April, for a total of 5216 sites awarded in 2025 (4323 beaches, 738 marinas, and 155 tourism boats) in 51 countries.
We would like to also congratulate the winners of the Best Practice competition for the Southern Hemisphere 2025/2026 International Evaluation. The final ranking is published here.
Once again, Blue Flag International thanks its valuable institutional partners EEA, ENAT, EUCC, ICLEI, ICOMIA, ILS, UNEP, UNESCO, UN Tourism, World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, CitiesWithNature, Climate Service Center Germany - GERICS, Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association, University of Aberdeen, IUCN and WCA for sharing their expertise.
International announcement of Blue Flag Awarded sites - Southern Hemisphere 2023/2024 season
The second Blue Flag International Jury meeting of 2023 took place this past September, and we’re proud to announce that 193 sites from 11 countries have received the Blue Flag award for the upcoming season in the Southern Hemisphere.
These sites join the previously awarded beaches, marinas, and tourism boats awarded by the International Jury in the Northern Hemisphere round that took place in April, for a total of 5038 sites awarded in 2023 (4205 beaches, 711 marinas, and 122 tourism boats).
We would like to also congratulate the winners of the Best Practice competition for the Southern Hemisphere 2023/2024 International Evaluation. The final ranking is published below.
For the category “Accessibility / Access for all”, the ranking is as follows:
The Paradisus brand, managing awarded Blue Flag beaches “El Cortecito” and “Bávaro”, implemented am inclusion program, which gives work opportunities to people with hearing, visual or motor disabilities as well as elderly disabled people. The program seeks to incorporate people with disabilities in all areas of the brands operations. Paradisus also conducts sensitisation dynamics with the staff to create an environment conducive to their integration, such as sign language formations.
© Bávaro Paradisus Palma Real (Dominican Republic)
As part of a campaign of the presidency of the Dominican Republic on accessible tourism in the country, a series of informative videos were recorded. These highlight the importance of Blue Flag Beaches for the establishment of accessible tourism destinations. A recording team accompanied the Blue Flag National Jury, in order to illustrate that tourism destinations in the Dominican Republic are increasingly friendly for the transfer, movement, and enjoyment of people with disabilities.
© IDARD
In Praia Grande de Caravelas (Brazil), the site managers wish to give the possibility for people with impairments or disabilities to enjoy their experience at the beach with the adequate equipment, from the parking to the water. Amphibious wheelchairs and a bamboo ramp are available and allow a safe and accessible sea bath. The lifeguards offer their help to the beach users wishing to access the water. The municipality also provides special parking spots close to the beach facilities, as well as accessible toilets and showers.
© Praia Grande de Caravelas (Brazil)
These efforts collectively demonstrate a commitment to fostering accessibility and ensuring that everyone can enjoy beach destinations.
Blue Flag growth in South America
Copenhagen, 14th November 2019 – This year, Blue Flag is happy to announce that Colombia won its first Blue Flag award whilst the United States Virgin Islands rejoined after the devastating effects of the Hurricane in 2017.
Copenhagen, 14th November 2019 – This year, Blue Flag is happy to announce that Colombia won its first Blue Flag award whilst the United States Virgin Islands rejoined after the devastating effects of the Hurricane in 2017.
Today Blue Flag releases the results of the Blue Flag International Jury meeting for the Southern Hemisphere, sharing with you the highlights of this year’s evaluation.
During the International Jury’s meeting, 150 sites have been awarded the world’s leading tourism award for the 2019-2020 Blue Flag season in the Southern Hemisphere. It represents 107 beaches, 22 marinas and 21 boats within the 7 countries running the Blue Flag programme in the Carribean, South America, Africa and Southwest Pacific. This brings the total number of Blue Flag sites worldwide to 4573 in 47 countries. The full list of awarded sites has been published on the international Blue Flag website.
After several years of implementation of the Blue Flag criteria on its beaches, Colombia has seen its application approved for 4 of its sites by the International Blue Flag Jury. Moreover, 4 beaches and a marina have been awarded the Blue Flag in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI). Countries working towards implementing the prestigious Blue Flag include Cabo Verde, Chile and the Åland Islands (Finland). India has also been investing towards obtaining the Blue Flag and currently has five pilot beaches working on receiving the award for 2020.
“We are extremely happy with the quality of work that the Colombian applicants have been putting towards obtaining the Blue Flag. It has been years of efforts, and we are proud to see Colombia has risen to the challenge. Argentina and Chile are also investing in the Blue Flag for their countries and this will strengthen our position in South America,” says Sophie Bachet Granados, International Director of the Blue Flag Programme. ”
Due to the devastating effects of the hurricanes in 2017, Trinidad and Tobago had lost their Blue Flags, and we are delighted that the US Virgin Islands have managed to rehabilitee its sites to fly the flag this season. Trinidad and Tobago is still working towards this goal.
Furthermore, as part of the candidates’ 2019 evaluation, best practices regarding accessibility have been reviewed and highly appreciated by the International Jury. Some of these year’s best practices will be featuring in our best practice database, which is freely available on our website for all to use: https://www.blueflag.global/best-practices.
The next meeting of the Blue Flag International Jury will take place on 21rst April 2020 in Copenhagen to award beaches, marinas, and boats from the Northern Hemisphere.
About the International Blue Flag Jury:
The International Blue Flag Jury is composed of representatives from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), International Lifesaving Federation (ILS), the European Environment Agency (EEA), the European Union for Coastal Conservation (EUCC), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), an Environmental Education expert, the International Council of Marine Industry Associations (ICOMIA), the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) and FEE. You can find out more about them on Blue Flag’s website.
The Blue Flag greatly appreciates the support of its sponsor, the worldwide flag producer Semaphore and Total Beach Access, which provides sponsored beach access for the disabled.
The Blue Flag programme is run by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE): https://www.fee.global
Feel free to check and use our copyrighted pictures for communication: https://flic.kr/s/aHsk75W98q