Teenage Earth Prize winner Isaque Borges joins public-sector working group in Brazil to reduce urban heat

• Isaque founded EcoAção Brasil, an AI and satellite-driven project mapping urban heat islands and advising institutions on actions such as tree planting, ‘cooling’ stations and emergency services
• Isaque further developed the solution during The Earth Prize 2025 and was awarded the title Regional Winner for Central and South America
• EcoAção Brasil’s recent research report identified 205 hotspots across the city of Palmas, including 82 areas facing severe urban heat
• Following the report, EcoAção Brasil was invited to join a Working Group planning how Palmas can tackle urban heat

GENEVA, Switzerland – Isaque Borges, founder of EcoAção Brasil and The Earth Prize 2025's Regional Winner for Central and South America, is taking his work into a new phase. The project uses satellite data and AI to identify where cities are hottest and advise institutions on actions such as tree planting, cooling stations and emergency services. Their latest research report on Palmas, Brazil, has now led to an invitation to join a multi-institutional group working on ways to make the city greener and cooler.

Based in Palmas, Isaque developed EcoAção Brasil after experiencing temperatures in the city that can reach 50°C (122°F). The project uses satellite data to map heat-prone areas, otherwise known as ‘heat islands’, and employs AI to identify where cooling actions could be taken, such as planting trees, or setting up ‘cooling’ stations. The growing team has also begun development of an AI platform for automated data collection and targeted city interventions.

EcoAção’s latest research report identified 205 heat islands across Palmas, including 82 areas facing severe urban heat, and mapped over 4500 hectares with significant vegetation deficits and heat stress. Following the report, EcoAção Brasil was invited to join a new Working Group bringing together public institutions, the city government and other organisations. The group is planning how Palmas can gradually move power lines underground in critical areas, creating more space for larger trees along the city’s main avenues while also improving accessibility.

Isaque applied for The Earth Prize in 2025 and developed the project further with mentorship and additional resources. In May 2025, he was named Regional Winner for the Central and South America region and won $12.5K to scale the project.

Like many students taking part in The Earth Prize, Isaque turned his personal experiences into a practical solution. Now in its fifth year, The Earth Prize has reached over 21,000 students across 169 countries and territories. Previous winners have been featured in leading international media including Forbes, BBC, the Financial Times, CBS, Business Insider, Euronews, and UN Today, with several teams advancing their ideas through patents, partnerships and commercial pilots.

The Earth Prize is run by The Earth Foundation, a non-profit based in Geneva, Switzerland, founded during the School Strike for Climate in 2019. At a time when climate anxiety affects a majority of young people - with 59% reporting they are very or extremely worried about the environment - the Prize provides a pathway from concern to action, equipping students with the tools to develop tangible, real-world solutions.