Honoring Robert Redford: Environmentalist, Actor, and Decent Human Being

September 16, 2025

We mourn the passing of Robert Redford, whose artistry and integrity on screen were surpassed only by his decades of dedication to the environment. For nearly 20 years, he generously lent his voice as the narrator of Goldman Environmental Prize winner videos, elevating stories of grassroots leaders even further.

Robert Redford championed countless environmental causes throughout his lifetime—from protecting America’s wild places to advocating for climate action—leaving a legacy of profound environmental stewardship. He helped make the world a better place and left his mark on so many.

His voice, his vision, and his unwavering commitment to our planet will be deeply missed. May his memory be for a blessing.

—Susie Gelman, President, Goldman Environmental Foundation

Recent Posts

Go to the blog

Two Days on the Mekong River in Thailand: A Report from the Field

November 18, 2025 – By Laura Fernandez

This fall, Goldman Environmental Prize Program Manager Laura Fernandez had the opportunity to visit Niwat Roykaew and Tuenjai Deetes, Goldman Prize winners from Thailand from 2022 and 1994, respectively. The following is a guest post about her experience. After spending three days in Chiang Mai, Thailand, attending the Asia Environmental Human Rights Defenders Forum, I…

Prize Winners Today: Defending Vulnerable Ecosystems with Cath Wallace

October 21, 2025

For 73-year-old Cath Wallace, environmental activism is a lifelong pursuit. Her drive to protect the planet’s most fragile ecosystems is inherent to her identity. A former economics and public policy academic at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, Cath turned to activism in the mid 1970s. Since then, she has dedicated her life to reducing environmental harm and educating others about what we owe the Earth. Cath’s tireless advocacy for Antarctica, carried out in lockstep…

Prize Winners Today: Protecting Costa Rica’s Shark Biodiversity with Randall Arauz

September 17, 2025 – By Paige Smith

Randall Arauz knows what it takes to move the needle on marine conservation: a combination of effective policy change, shifting public opinion, and persistence. Randall, a passionate and seasoned conservationist famous for fighting against shark finning, has been advocating for critically endangered sea turtles and sharks—and improving Costa Rica’s environmental laws—for over 30 years. We…