Goldman Environmental Prize Blog

In honor of World Water Day on March 22, we are focusing on water issues this month. From marine conservation to water privatization, we are exploring how Goldman Prize winners are working to secure a sustainable future for our most precious natural resource. From privatization to mining, private interests around the world pose an increasing…

In honor of World Water Day on March 22, we are focusing on water issues this month. From marine conservation to water privatization, we are exploring how Goldman Prize winners are working to secure a sustainable future for our most precious natural resource. This week we are continuing our focus on water issues by spotlighting…

In honor of World Water Day on March 22, we are focusing on water issues this month. From marine conservation to water privatization, we are exploring how Goldman Prize winners are working to secure a sustainable future for our most precious natural resource. When it comes to protecting vulnerable environmental sites like fisheries, rivers and…

From plantations to processing to consumer products, this three part series examines the impacts of industrial palm oil on the environment, human rights and wildlife conservation. Did you know that nearly half of all packaged food products sold in grocery stores contain palm oil? It can be found in chocolate, ice cream, cake mix, doughnuts,…

From plantations to processing to consumer products, this three part series examines the impacts of industrial palm oil on the environment, human rights and wildlife conservation. Last week we explored some of the initial impacts of palm oil plantation expansion on tropical rainforests and the people and wildlife who depend on them. This week we…

From plantations to processing to consumer products, this three part series examines the impacts of industrial palm oil on the environment, human rights and wildlife conservation. Conflict palm oil: it’s the new buzz word on the street, but how could something as seemingly innocent as vegetable oil be the cause for so much concern? Anything…

The Obama administration recently asked congress to increase federal protection for millions of acres within Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). The White House is seeking “wilderness” level protection for 12 of the 19 million acres that make up the refuge. Wilderness status is the highest level of federal protection available for public lands and…

Waste incineration produces some of the most toxic chemicals known to science, including hormone-disrupting dioxins. The incineration process produces ash with concentrated amounts of heavy metals, such as lead, arsenic and cadmium that, when buried, pollute groundwater for generations. These chemicals have been linked to birth defects, cancer, respiratory ailments and reproductive dysfunction among people…

With the aftermath of super typhoon Haiyan still part of their daily lives, Filipino Catholic Church groups and civil society organizations, implored Pope Francis to take strong action on climate change during his recent visit. In a joint statement from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-National Secretariat for Social Action (CBCP-NASSA), and the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice…

Kenyan Goldman Prize winner Ikal Angelei has dedicated her life to fighting the construction of the Gibe 3 Dam, one of Africa’s largest hydropower projects. The dam, which is being built upstream on the Omo River by the Ethiopian government, will reduce water flow to Kenya’s Lake Turkana by 70%, drastically shrinking the lake, killing…