Congratulations to the 2019 Goldman Environmental Prize Recipients for their incredible leadership to protect both people and our shared planet!
The Goldman Environmental Prize is a true honor, the world’s largest award honoring grassroots environmental activists.
This year, at Global Greengrants Fund, we are particularly thrilled to acknowledge Prize winners Ana Colovic Lesoska and Jacqui Evans, both of whom are Global Greengrants Fund grantees. Learn about their extraordinary efforts to promote a healthier, more sustainable future:
Ana Colovic Lesoska, Macedonia
Ana is the leader of a seven-year campaign to cut off international funding for two large hydropower plants planned for inside Mavrovo National Park, one of Europe’s last undisturbed natural areas. Her leadership and grassroots activism protected North Macedonia’s oldest national park, as well as critically endangered species such as the Balkan lynx.
Since 2006, Ana and her organization, Eko-svest, have received six grants from Global Greengrants Fund. The funds were used to persuade Macedonian institutions to conduct a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the hydropower plan for Macedonia, while simultaneously educating the public about the negative impacts of the proposed hydropower plants.
Jacqui Evans, Cook Islands
Jacqui is a marine conservationist who led a five-year campaign to protect the Cook Islands’ stunning biodiversity. Thanks to her tireless organizing, the Cook Islands enacted new legislation, Marae Moana, to sustainably manage and conserve all 763,000 square miles of the country’s ocean territory, including the designation of marine protected areas 50 nautical miles around the islands. This ultimately protected 125,000 square miles of ocean from large-scale commercial fishing and seabed mining.
Jacqui and her organization, Te Ipukarea Society, received a grant in 2009 for an environmental awareness campaign in local schools, which taught children how to make jewelry out of recyclable materials.
Over the past 26 years, 67 Global Greengrants Fund grantees and affiliates have been awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize. We thank them for their outstanding contributions and dedication to protect the Earth we call home.
Learn more about Ana, Jacqui, and the other 2019 Prize winners.
Photo credit: Goldman Environmental Prize