🏆🌍 Goldman Prize Winners: Heroes for Earth!

THE 2026 GOLDMAN ENVIRONMENTAL PRIZE: A GLOBAL RECOGNITION
The Goldman Environmental Prize, established in 1989 by Richard and Rhoda Goldman, celebrates grassroots environmental activism worldwide. This year marked a historic milestone, with all six recipients – Iroro Tanshi, Borim Kim, Sarah Finch, Theonila Roka Matbob, Alannah Acaq Hurley, and Yuvelis Morales Blanco – being women, the first time since the prize’s inception. Each recipient received $200,000 in prize money, acknowledging their dedication to combating climate change and preserving biodiversity. John Goldman, vice president of the Goldman Environmental Foundation, emphasized the significance of these victories, stating that they demonstrate the power of courage, hard work, and hope in driving meaningful environmental progress, particularly amidst ongoing challenges in implementing effective climate policies.

SIX WOMEN, SIX REGIONS, SIX STRATEGIES
The six awardees represent a diverse range of geographic locations and strategic approaches to environmental protection. They were selected from each of the world’s six primary regions – Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South and Central America, and Islands and Island Nations – highlighting the global nature of the environmental crisis and the varied tactics needed to address it. The recipients’ collective efforts demonstrate a commitment to tangible solutions, ranging from legal challenges and community organizing to direct action and scientific conservation. This year's prize underscores the importance of localized, impactful activism in the global fight for environmental sustainability.

YUVELIS MORALES BLANCO: FRACKING IN COLOMBIA
Yuvelis Morales Blanco, the recipient for the South and Central America region, spearheaded a critical campaign against the introduction of commercial fracking into Colombia. Growing up in the Afro-Colombian community of Puerto Wilches along the Magdalena River, she witnessed firsthand the devastating consequences of oil spills and the impact on her family’s livelihood. Following a major oil spill in 2018 that displaced dozens of families and decimated wildlife, Morales Blanco mobilized protests, becoming a target of intimidation and forcing her to relocate temporarily. Her activism successfully halted fracking projects and elevated the issue to the forefront of Colombia’s 2022 election, demonstrating the power of community-led resistance against powerful corporations.

BORIM KIM: YOUTH-LED CLIMATE LITIGATION
Borim Kim, representing Asia, founded the Youth 4 Climate Action organization and secured a landmark ruling from South Korea’s Constitutional Court. The court determined that the government’s climate policy violated the constitutional rights of future generations – a pivotal moment representing the first successful youth-led climate litigation in the continent. Kim’s victory demonstrated the growing recognition of the urgency of climate action and the willingness of legal systems to address the concerns of younger generations. This case set a precedent for future climate litigation efforts globally.

SARAH FINCH: FIGHTING FOSSIL FUELS IN ENGLAND
Sarah Finch, representing Europe, utilized her prize money to continue her fight against fossil fuels, partnering with the Weald Action Group. For over a decade, she and the group actively campaigned against oil drilling in southeastern England, ultimately securing the "Finch ruling" from the Supreme Court in June 2024. This ruling mandated that authorities consider the global climate impacts before granting permission for fossil fuel extraction, a significant victory for environmental protection and a clear signal of the courts’ commitment to addressing climate change.

THEONILA ROKA MATBOP: RESTORING THE PANGUNA MINE
Theonila Roka Matbob, representing Islands and Island Nations, successfully campaigned to hold Rio Tinto accountable for the environmental and social devastation caused by its closed Panguna copper mine in Papua New Guinea. The mine, shut down in 1992 following an uprising, had inflicted significant damage for 35 years. Matbob’s efforts resulted in Rio Tinto agreeing to address the damage, demonstrating the power of indigenous communities to hold multinational corporations accountable for their environmental impact and the importance of restorative justice in environmental disputes.

ALLANAH ACAQ HURLEY: PROTECTING ALASKA’S SALMON
Alannah Acaq Hurley, representing North America, alongside 15 tribal nations, successfully prevented a mega-copper and gold mining project that threatened the ecosystems of Alaska’s Bristol Bay region, including the largest wild salmon runs in the world. Hurley’s dedication to protecting this vital habitat showcased the importance of indigenous knowledge and collaborative action in safeguarding biodiversity and the health of ecosystems. This victory highlights the ongoing struggle to balance economic development with environmental preservation.

IRORO TANSI: CONSERVING THE ROUNDLEAF BAT
Iroro Tanshi, representing Africa, focused her efforts on rediscovering and protecting the endangered short-tailed roundleaf bat and its refuge, the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, from human-induced wildfires. Her work demonstrates the critical role of biodiversity conservation in mitigating climate change and preserving vulnerable species, particularly in regions facing increasing environmental threats. Tanshi's dedication exemplifies the importance of targeted conservation efforts.