Nominations open for UNEP’s 2026 Champions of the Earth Award as Ocean health in focus
Nairobi, 5 March 2026 – The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has opened nominations for the 2026 Champions of the Earth award – the UN’s highest environmental honour – this year focusing on leaders at the forefront of caring for the ocean, an ecosystem essential to life on Earth that is increasingly under strain.
For more than two decades, the Champions of the Earth awards have recognized trailblazers whose work has shaped environmental policy and practice around the world. The 2026 edition seeks nominations of individuals, organizations and governments driving efforts to protect and restore ocean health—an area critical to climate stability, biodiversity, food security, and sustainable economic development.
The Ocean: Essential for Life
The ocean covers more than 70 percent of the planet, absorbs over 90 percent of the excess heat caused by greenhouse gas emissions, and takes in roughly one-third of carbon dioxide released by human activity. It sustains a blue economy worth more than US$1.5 trillion, as well as the lives, cultures, and food systems of millions around the world.
Yet only 15 percent of coastlines remain ecologically intact. Pollution, habitat loss, sediment runoff, and untreated wastewater are eroding marine ecosystems, driving biodiversity loss, and threatening communities that rely on the sea. Limited data and fragmented governance make coordinated action even more urgent.
The 2026 Champions of the Earth awards will honour leaders whose work delivers solutions to restore marine and coastal ecosystems, reduce climate risks, and create sustainable livelihoods.
Key focus areas of this year’s Champions of the Earth Award include:
- Pollution prevention – Addressing pollution from source to sea, including wastewater, nutrients, chemicals, and sediments, through solutions that connect land, freshwater, coasts, and the ocean.
- Ecosystem protection and restoration – Strengthening ocean resilience, safeguarding and restoring coral reefs, mangroves, seagrasses, and other vital habitats, and reducing climate risks for coastal communities.
- Sustainable blue economies – Supporting fair and sustainable livelihoods that protect nature while advancing economic opportunity.
- Science, data, and cooperation – Expanding scientific research, data, finance, and regional partnerships, including through Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans, to accelerate collective impact.
Categories and Timeline
Nominations are open from 5 March – 15 April 2026. Individuals, organizations, and government entities may be nominated under the categories of Policy Leadership, Inspiration and Action, Entrepreneurial Vision, and Science and Innovation. Winners will be announced in late 2026.
How to nominate
Nominate a Champion of the Earth.
Previous Champions of the Earth
In 2025, UNEP recognized individuals and organizations that are driving climate action through innovative and sustainable policies and solutions. The awardees included:
- Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, A youth-led NGO
- Supriya Sahu, Indian Additional Chief Secretary for the Government of Tamil Nadu
- Mariam Issoufou, Nigerien entrepreneur
- Imazon, a Brazilian research institute
- Manfredi Caltagirone (posthumous), Italian methane expert
Since its inception in 2005, the Champions of the Earth award has recognized 127 laureates.
NOTES TO EDITORS
About the UNEP Champions of the Earth
UNEP’s Champions of the Earth honours individuals, groups, and organizations whose actions have a transformative impact on the environment. #EarthChamps
About the UN Environment Programme
UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.
For more information, please contact:
News and Media Unit, UN Environment Programme
