Goldman Environmental Prize Blog

For many Americans, oil drilling doesn’t feel like a hometown issue—it’s the concern of far-off places, from 2010’s BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico to Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. “Urban oil extraction” can even sound like a myth. In reality, it’s happening in our own backyards. Once the first US oil well…

For Kristal Ambrose, World Oceans Day is every day. A 2020 Goldman Prize winner, Kristal—nicknamed “Kristal Ocean”—rallied her community in the Bahamas to protect the seas, passing one of the most stringent plastic bans to date: the categorical ban of single-use plastics, which account for one-third of all plastic in our oceans. On the frontlines…

The 2022 Goldman Environmental Prize winners are changing the world—one river, forest, and community at a time. But they need all of us to get involved. Keep reading to learn how you can support their work, engage with their causes, and speak out for our planet. 1. Stand up to big oil with Chima Williams…

Many famous doctors are fictional—from Doctor Who to Indiana Jones and Dr. Zhivago—but our real world has a living legend in Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE. Sixty years into a trailblazing career, she is the world’s most-beloved conservationist; a UN Messenger of Peace; an author; an international spokesperson; a world-renowned ethologist; an activist; and a global…

When Richard and Rhoda Goldman set out to create an environmental counterpart to the Nobel Prize, they only dreamed their work might change the world. “We have no idea how important this prize program will turn out to be,” said Rhoda, “but we hope it will be very important.” 32 Earth Days and 200+ Prize…

Prigi Arisandi (Indonesia, 2011) has embarked on a 300-day tour of Indonesia’s rivers, documenting the status of 68 unique waterways. Starting on March 1, 2022, the journey will take Prigi and his team at Ecological Observation and Wetlands Conservation Foundation (Ecoton) across 68 rivers spanning the entire Indonesian archipelago, from Sumatra to Papua. Many of…

Honoring grassroots environmental activists from around the world, the 33rd annual Goldman Environmental Prize ceremony will take place on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. The theme for this year’s ceremony, re/Generation Now, is a global call to protect and restore our planet. Each year, Goldman Prize winners prove that individuals have the power to galvanize communities,…

Throughout history, women have been central to the environmental movement. They are activists, pioneers, and champions of change at local, national, and international levels. They question the status quo, educate and mobilize their communities, and persevere despite opposition. This year, in honor of International Women’s Day, we’re exploring the monumental role women of all backgrounds…

Colorful fish dotted the walls of Jean Wiener’s home office as he logged on to our interview. Outside in Washington, D.C., it was a high of 27 degrees Fahrenheit. Just a few weeks earlier, snow had blanketed the ground, giving the capitol city a white Christmas. It’s a far cry from the tropical climate of…

High school teacher Peggy O’Leary is a fine arts teacher at Sacred Heart Preparatory in Atherton, California. She wanted to incorporate stories of environmental and climate activism into her art class, so turned to the Goldman Environmental Prize winners for inspiration. We think the results are stunning. Below is a sampling of the student paintings.…