A Community Leader The day before our interview, environmental justice champion Hilton Kelley (United States, 2011) was celebrating his granddaughter’s birthday—“the big 10.” With powerful, broad shoulders and a thick, white beard, it’s easy to see how the former actor embodies the role of a slightly intimidating but nonetheless jovial grandfather. It’s a responsibility that…
In early September, members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress approved a motion requesting a global commitment to protect 80% of the Amazon Basin by 2025. The campaign behind the initiative, Amazonia for Life: 80% by 2025, acknowledges the critical role of the Amazon in stabilizing the global climate…
“The Blue Heart of Europe.” It’s a nickname for the Balkans that evokes identity and nostalgia, purity and beauty. But as unearthed in our interview with conservationist Ana Colovic Lesoska (North Macedonia, 2019), the Balkans are also rife with lingering civil unrest and opaque financial dealings. The region’s free-flowing and stunning waterways have ironically made…
Environmental activism is more mainstream today than ever before. In the last several years, activists like Greta Thunberg have become media stars and household names; national news outlets have ramped up their coverage of climate campaigns; and politicians have become increasingly outspoken about how environmental issues affect policy decisions. The surge in awareness of environmental…
The Goldman Environmental Prize is excited to announce the recipients of the 2021 Grantmaking program. Launched in 2015, the Grantmaking program supports past Prize winners to further grassroots environmental work. Past grants have supported work in areas such as wildlife conservation, environmental justice, and climate education. This grantmaking cycle, in addition to regular one-year grants,…
By Sharon Lavigne I am overwhelmed with gratitude to have been selected to receive the Goldman Environmental Prize. I am surprised that I have been selected. I started this work without knowing anything about being an environmental activist. Growing up in my small hometown of St. James, Louisiana, I could not have imagined that one…
Yesterday, we were honored to announce the 2021 Goldman Prize winners, six everyday heroes who saw an environmental issue in their community and decided to take action. Learn how you can support their work, engage with their causes, and speak out for your environment. 1. Reduce Plastic Waste with Gloria Majiga-Kamoto Gloria Majiga-Kamoto (Malawi, 2021)…
We are honored to announce the recipients of the 2021 Goldman Environmental Prize. These everyday heroes demonstrate the power of grassroots activism in the fight to protect our planet. Join us tonight, June 15, 2021, at 4:00 pm PDT (7:00 pm EDT) on YouTube to meet them and hear their stories firsthand. Hosted by award-winning…
Bees play a critical role in the health of our ecosystems and the economic welfare of people around the world. Though many species of bees are at risk of becoming endangered, countless apiculturists are fighting to save them. Among them are the Ladies of Honey, a collective of Indigenous Mayan beekeepers in Mexico dedicated to…
A Conservation Success Decreased poaching, collaborative conservation, community engagement, and rebounding wildlife populations? Against a backdrop of weighty environmental headlines typically fueling my eco-anxiety, interviewing Rudi Putra (Indonesia, 2014) was like a breath of fresh air. “I’m an optimist because I’ve seen positive change happen in the Leuser Ecosystem,” Rudi remarked as we discussed his…