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For more than three decades, the Goldman Environmental Prize has honoured ordinary people taking extraordinary action to protect the planet. Often referred to as the “Green Oscar” or the “Green Nobel”, the award recognises grassroots environmental leaders whose campaigns have changed laws, protected ecosystems and defended vulnerable communities. In 2026, the prize reached a historic milestone. For the first time since its founding in 1989, all six recipients were women. Their victories spanned six regions of the world and addressed some of the most urgent environmental challenges of our time, from climate litigation and endangered species conservation to Indigenous rights and opposition to destructive mining projects. Together, these women demonstrated how local action can create global impact, inspiring a new generation of environmental leadership.
Six women who won and why the 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize became a landmark moment
According to the Goldman Environmental Foundation, the 2026 recipients were selected from six regions of the world for their extraordinary grassroots achievements. It marked the first all-women cohort in the prize’s 37-year history.
1. Iroro Tanshi (Nigeria)
Image: Goldman Environmental Foundation
A conservation scientist, Tanshi led efforts to protect the endangered short-tailed roundleaf bat in Nigeria’s Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary. After identifying human-caused wildfires as the species’ greatest threat, she organised community fire brigades that successfully prevented major fires across the sanctuary.The Goldman Environmental Foundation stated:“She and her community fire brigades prevented any serious wildfires from occurring in and around the sanctuary.”
2. Borim Kim (South Korea)
Image: Goldman Environmental Foundation
She has been an advocate in the field of youth climate litigation. With her efforts, a groundbreaking constitutional ruling was obtained, which enhanced climate responsibility and brought the rights of future generations affected by climate change into focus.
3. Sarah Finch (United Kingdom)
Image: Goldman Environmental Foundation
She made headlines after her victory in a groundbreaking lawsuit challenging the climate impacts of the approval of fossil fuel projects in the United Kingdom.Her efforts in establishing a groundbreaking legal precedent have earned her the Goldman Environmental Prize.
4. Theonila Roka Matbob (Papua New Guinea)
Image: Goldman Environmental Foundation
She was fighting against environmental destruction associated with mining activities in Papua New Guinea. Through her efforts, issues related to pollution of the environment have come to international attention.
5. Alannah Acaq Hurley (United States)
Image: Goldman Environmental Foundation
She is an indigenous leader who was actively involved in resisting a mining project in Alaska, known for its salmon fisheries.Commenting on this feat, she said,“This prize belongs to all of us, who stood up against all odds.”
6. Yuvelis Morales Blanco (Colombia)
Image: Goldman Environmental Foundation
Morales Blanco rose to become an influential environmentalist in Colombia due to her anti-fracking campaigns. Her actions enabled her to highlight community concerns regarding the issue of water protection and environmental health.The importance of these awards is more than what the six recipients have accomplished. According to the Goldman Environmental Foundation, the 2026 award was symbolic of the growing importance of women in environmental protection globally.According to the event’s press release, John Goldman, Vice President of the Goldman Environmental Foundation, stated:“This is a powerful reflection of the absolutely central role that women play in the environmental community globally.”Since its establishment, the Goldman Environmental Prize has recognised hundreds of activists from nearly 100 countries. Yet the 2026 winners stand apart as the first all-women group in the award’s history. These efforts illustrate how changes in the environment do not always begin with governments or large corporations but start in the community level, when individuals take matters into their hands.With their efforts to save the endangered species in Nigeria, prevent fossil fuel projects from taking place in Britain, and protect their lands in Alaska, the following six women are proof that grassroots efforts continue to be an influential force in the environment.
