The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s annual Prize for Humanity awards €1 million to individuals and organisations driving extraordinary climate action, with unrestricted funding and minimal reporting requirements. Launched in 2019, the prize reflects the foundation’s commitment to sustainability and equity, highlighting achievements that benefit both people and nature. Over six years, it has surfaced transformative work in regenerative agriculture, community-led restoration, and international cooperation, providing winners with the flexibility to scale their impact.
The 2024 winner, Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming, used the prize to expand internationally, piloting natural farming projects in Zambia and Sri Lanka. The unrestricted support allowed experimentation and adaptation to new geographies, helping grassroots organisations and governments explore agroecological transformation.
In 2023, the Sungai Utik Indigenous Community in Borneo received the prize after decades of advocacy for forest rights. The funding enabled them to set community priorities, strengthen governance, support households, invest in sustainable livelihoods, and participate more confidently in climate dialogues. The prize reinforced Indigenous Peoples’ role as providers of climate solutions.
The 2022 award went jointly to IPBES and IPCC, recognising the critical role of science in tackling climate change and biodiversity loss. IPBES has since published major reports on invasive species, transformative change, biodiversity‑climate‑health linkages, and business impacts, advancing evidence-based policy and global awareness.
In 2021, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy directed its prize funding to practical projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Senegal, it supported water supply improvements for thousands of households, while in Cameroon, solar street lighting enhanced safety, extended working hours, and improved study conditions for students. These projects demonstrated how local climate action can drive resilience and empowerment in rapidly growing cities.
The Prize for Humanity continues to act as a beacon of hope, offering trust, recognition, and resources to climate leaders worldwide. By investing in grassroots innovation, scientific evidence, and community resilience, it underscores that people are at the heart of climate solutions and that extraordinary work must be sustained and scaled to secure a liveable future.
