June 9, 2026
This year, for the first time ever, all six recipients of the Goldman Environmental Prize are women. The 2026 Goldman Prize winners—Iroro Tanshi (Nigeria), Borim Kim (South Korea), Sarah Finch (United Kingdom), Theonila Roka Matbob (Papua New Guinea), Alannah Acaq Hurley (United States), and Yuvelis Morales Blanco (Colombia)—represent a powerful group of environmental leaders.
Their recognition highlights an important trend: women are increasingly leading grassroots environmental campaigns around the world. And it is no coincidence.
Environmental Issues Are Not Gender Neutral
Women and girls face disproportionately harsh impacts from environmental crises and climate change, as environmental stresses intensify existing gender inequalities, reports UN Women. During environmental crises—like floods, droughts, wildfires, and other extreme weather events—women and girls often shoulder increased unpaid labor and caregiving responsibilities. This added pressure can result in girls leaving school, further exacerbating gender divisions.
Climate change is also linked to economic instability and, with it, gender-based violence, according to UNICEF. Women may be exposed to violence as they travel to isolated water collection points, endure displacement in refugee camps or urban centers, or in homes struggling with unemployment or poverty. In 2011, in the aftermath of two cyclones in Vanuatu, there was “a 300 per cent increase in new domestic violence cases” reported at a women’s counseling center, according to UN Women. Climate change is a threat multiplier for women in situations with pre-existing stress.
Women Are at the Center of the Environmental Movement
As a result of the trends named above and other factors, women are consistently at the center of environmental activism and civil society. Throughout the history of the modern environmental movement, women have been at the forefront—innovating, shaping ideas, driving advocacy, and elevating public awareness.
A few noteworthy examples of precedent-setting, female environmental leaders are:
- Rachel Carson, whose groundbreaking book Silent Spring helped set the stage for the first Earth Day in 1970
- Lois Gibbs, whose fight to relocate more than 800 families living on top of toxic waste helped spur the creation of the US EPA’s Superfund program
- Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, who founded the Jane Goodall Institute, revolutionized the study of chimpanzees through her groundbreaking research, and became a globally renowned environmental advocate
- Medha Patkar, who became one of India’s leading voices for communities displaced by large dam projects, championing human rights and equitable models of development
Despite the many women who are fomenting environmental progress, they often do not receive the recognition that they deserve. According to the IUCN, women hold only 23% of senior positions in environmental organizations. This imbalance is unfortunate, as the exclusion of women in environmental decision-making, whether at a local or national level, can result in inaccurate data collection and detrimental policies, asserts IUCN. Having women in the job literally improves outcomes.
Environmental Prizes Play a Key Role in Elevating Women’s Leadership
To date, the Goldman Environmental Prize has honored 239 winners—including 112 women—from 98 nations. Many of these women have gone on to other important work after winning the Prize, as elected officials, NGO leaders, or other kinds of changemakers. Some notable examples:
- Zuzana Čaputová (Slovakia, 2016) served as president of Slovakia from 2019 – 2024
- Francia Márquez (Colombia, 2018) was elected vice president of Colombia in 2022
- Wangari Maathai (Kenya, 1991) founded Kenya’s Green Belt Movement and was the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, in 2004
Environmental awards like the Goldman Prize—as well as The Earthshot Prize, Whitley Fund for Nature Award, UNDP Equator Prize, and others—provide critical funding, visibility, and credibility to the work being done by women activists across the globe. Women are doing the work; it’s our role to give them the recognition.
The bottom line is that, when women are included in policymaking, policies are greener; when they are included in decision-making, decisions are more humane. Let’s celebrate today’s milestones and continue to work toward an egalitarian and inclusive environmental future.
