ORDINARY PEOPLE. EXTRAORDINARY IMPACT.
Women are critical defenders of their communities and environments. Join us in learning about some of their stories. Rachel Carson Perhaps the mother of the American environmental movement, Rachel Carson (1907-1964) set into motion a global awakening to the dangers of chemical pesticides (she, of course, preceded the Goldman Prize). A marine biologist and nature…
Carving canyons, sustaining communities, feeding wildlife, and shaping history: rivers are integral to life on our planet. Despite their essential role, these rushing waterways make up just under half a percent of all surface freshwater on the planet. Rivers are rare, and they’re a prize worth fighting for. What Rivers Give Us Rivers are vastly…
Goldman Environmental Prize Honors Six Heroes of the Environment 2015 recipients come from Kenya, Myanmar, Scotland, Haiti, Canada, and Honduras SAN FRANCISCO, April 20, 2015 — The Goldman Environmental Foundation today announced the six recipients of the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize, the world’s largest award for grassroots environmental activists. Awarded annually to environmental heroes from…
In honor of Women’s History Month and International Day of Action for Rivers, we’re highlighting five Goldman Prize-winning women who have worked to protect bodies of water from environmental destruction. As noted by our nominating partner, International Rivers, Day of Action for Rivers celebrates environmental wins such as dam removal and river restoration, informs about…
This year has been one of the most painful years for environmental activists, not least of all due to the devastating loss of Berta Cáceres and the terrible attacks on Máxima Acuña. Fellow Prize winners have stood behind and rallied to the defense of these women while making significant advances in their own work this…
Last week’s Global Witness report On Dangerous Ground opens with the following statement: The environment is emerging as a new battleground for human rights. Alarming Numbers The report, fittingly dedicated to Berta Cáceres (2015, Honduras) covers the state of land and environmental defenders in 2015 and is not short of harrowing evidence to support this statement:…
We hope you enjoyed hearing the stories of the six winners of the 2016 Goldman Environmental Prize in San Francisco! This year, we were delighted to once again welcome award-winning journalist Dana King as our Master of Ceremonies. Our veteran narrator, Robert Redford, again provided the incredibly moving voice-over for the Prize winner profile videos. The most poignant difference…
2015 Goldman Prize winner Howard Wood spearheaded a campaign that established the first community-developed Marine Protected Area in Scotland. Just last week, Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, announced that a Marine Conservation Order (MCO) will be put before Scottish parliament setting out conservation measures that include banning the highly destructive…
The Goldman Prize is known for recognizing environmental activists who have accomplished major environmental achievements while enduring significant risks to their safety. In addition to murder, threats faced by activists often include harassment, physical abuse, intimidation, false criminalization, unjust arrests and jail sentences. In 2014, Global Witness reported that the frequency of murders of environmentalists…
Around the world, growing competition for natural resources has led to a dramatic increase in violence against environmental activists. A recent report from Global Witness entitled “How Many More? 2014’s Deadly Environment: the killing and intimidation of environment and land activists, with a spotlight on Honduras” details just how perilous the situation has become, especially…