Historic First as Women Sweep All Six Goldman Environmental Prizes

The Goldman Environmental Prize, a prestigious award that identifies and honors grassroots environmental protectors who have shown exceptional courage to help save our planet, has chosen six women to receive the 2026 award as the winners, the first time in the history of the award that all six winners are female. 

The achievement also shows the increasing recognition that women have been taking a very active and leading role in environmental activism and making significant contributions to combatting climate change, pollution, and promoting ecological justice around the globe.

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2026 Goldman Environmental Prize Winners

1. Iroro Tanshi - Developed a system for preventing wildfires in Nigeria's last remaining rainforest to help protect endangered bat species.

2. Borim Kim - An activist within an environmental organization focused on climate change.

3. Sarah Finch - Won a supreme court ruling that requires new fossil fuel projects to take into consideration their total climate impact, which is a historic decision in England.

4. Theonila Roka Matbob - Indigenous leader who has put in place protective measures for her tribe's land to avoid environmental degradation.

5. Alannah Acaq Hurley - Assisted the Native American population in opposing a large open pit mine in Alaska.

6. Yuvelis Morales Blanco - Led an effort to stop fracking operations on the Magdalena River and national environmental policy related to fracking.

Prestigious Ceremony in San Francisco 

During Earth Week, an awards ceremony was held in San Francisco bringing together environmental leaders, activists, and supporters from across the globe to celebrate grassroots action as the foundation for enactment of significant changes within our global environment, where stories of all award-laden recipients showcase the power of collective and community resistance towards all forms of environmental degradation.

Emotional Tributes and Global Recognition 

The ceremony included emotional testimonies, documentary presentations, and standing ovations to honor each of the winners. 

All speakers at the ceremony characterized the courage of all environmental defenders, acknowledging that many of them face political pressures, legal warfare and personal danger. Organizers of the awards determined that despite all of the obstacles faced, grassroots activists continue to affect measureable change within the protection of ecosystems and communities world-wide.

Historic Shift in Environmental Leadership 

According to Goldman Environmental Foundation representatives, the impact of an all-female winner list is tremendously telling of the critical role that women play globally in the area of environment. 

The sizable number of awardees is being characterized both as a sign of growth and as a substantial indication that women lead the efforts of climate action, legal reform and conservation in their communities.