Meet the six women who made history by winning the ‘Green Oscars’ for environmental activism

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.