You Won't Believe What These Six Women Did to Win the 2026 Goldman Prize—Find Out Now!

John Goldman, vice president of the Goldman Environmental Foundation, remarked, “While we continue to fight uphill to protect the environment and implement lifesaving climate policies – in the US and globally – it is clear that true leaders can be found all around us. The 2026 Prize winners are proof positive that courage, hard work, and hope go a long way toward creating meaningful progress.”

Yuvelis Morales Blanco, recognized for her achievements in South and Central America, has been a formidable opponent against the world's largest oil companies, successfully halting the introduction of commercial fracking in Colombia. Hailing from an Afro-Colombian fishing community along the Magdalena River, Morales Blanco's activism was catalyzed by a major oil spill in 2018 that devastated local wildlife and displaced families. Her commitment to environmental justice has not only made her a target of intimidation but has also elevated the issue of fracking in Colombia's political discourse, influencing the country's 2022 elections.

Fellow recipient Borim Kim, Asia's winner, founded the Youth 4 Climate Action organization and achieved a groundbreaking ruling from South Korea’s Constitutional Court. The court determined that the government's climate policy violated the constitutional rights of future generations, marking a significant victory in youth-led climate litigation on the continent.

In Europe, Sarah Finch plans to use her prize money to continue her fight against fossil fuel extraction. As a member of the Weald Action Group, she played a pivotal role in securing the “Finch ruling” from the Supreme Court in June 2024. This ruling mandates that authorities must consider the impacts of fossil fuel extraction on global climate change before granting permissions for such projects.

Other winners have taken a stand against environmental devastation caused by mining activities. In Papua New Guinea, Theonila Roka Matbob led a successful campaign that prompted the mining giant Rio Tinto to address the social and environmental consequences of its long-closed Panguna copper mine, which had remained neglected for over 35 years since an uprising forced its closure.

Meanwhile, Alannah Acaq Hurley, representing North America, stood with 15 tribal nations to successfully block a mega copper and gold mining project that threatened Alaska's Bristol Bay region and its vital ecosystems, including the world’s largest wild salmon runs. In Africa, Iroro Tanshi has been dedicated to rediscovering and conserving the endangered short-tailed roundleaf bat while working to protect its habitat, the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, from human-induced wildfires.

The recognition of these extraordinary women underscores not just their individual achievements, but also the collective strength of grassroots movements in the global fight against environmental degradation. The Goldman Environmental Prize serves as a vital reminder of the courage and innovation that grassroots activists bring to the often daunting challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. As the world grapples with environmental crises, the stories of these women inspire hope and demonstrate that meaningful change is possible through tenacity and collaboration.