Deadline: 17-Mar-23

Nominations are now open for the 4th edition of the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity, awarded annually that aims to recognise people, groups of people and/or organisations from all over the world whose contributions to mitigation and adaptation to climate change stand out for its novelty, innovation and impact.

The 4th edition of the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity highlights the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s commitment to urgent climate action. Notably, it seeks to speed up the transition to a carbon neutral society, to mitigate the negative effects of climate change for people, the environment and the economy, and to promote a society that is more resilient and better prepared for future global changes and to protect the most vulnerable in particular.

This initiative strives to draw attention to and leverage large-scale climate action responses, helping to speed up the process of decarbonising the global economy, protecting people and natural systems from severe effects associated to climate change and supporting sustainable development.

Objectives

More specifically, the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity has the following objectives:

• Award to actively contribute to the targets set in the Paris Agreement including decisions taken under the Glasgow Climate Pact and the Sharm el-Sheikh Implemenation Plan.
• Contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations Agenda 2030.
• To recognize people, organizations and initiatives of excellence in the area of climate change.
• To mobilize talent, attracting high quality nominations. 5. To emphasize of both the impacts of climate change and potential solutions, mobilizing people, businesses and governments in tackling the climate crisis.
• To strengthen the role of local communities and international networks, by recognizing local climate solutions with great scale up potential for global impact.
• To educate and empower for a more sustainable society.
• To mobilize more financial capital for climate solutions.
• To divulge, at a global level, the Foundation’s commitment to a low-carbon, more sustainable and more resilient society.

Areas of Recognition

• The Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity will be focused in the recognition of accomplishments and contributions to solve the climate crisis for a minimum period of 5 years (2020-2024). Thereafter, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s Board of Directors will announce whether the topic will be maintained or if a new area of recognition of great relevance to humankind will be launched.
• In the present context, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation considers any potential recognition areas that can contribute to one or a number of the following outcomes:
  • Mitigation: reduction or prevention of greenhouse gas emissions or the increased absorption of already emitted GHG. The mitigation actions require the use of new technologies, clean energy sources, industrial processing, reducing deforestation, reforestation or restoring terrestrial, marine and coastal natural ecosystems, improved methods of sustainable farming and land use, and changes in individual and collective behaviors.
  • Adaptation: reducing the negative consequences of climate change by taking measures to prevent or minimize impacts that can no longer be avoided, such as rising sea levels, extreme weather events and food insecurity, with actions that include technological measures, nature- -based solutions and behavioral changes.
• Thus, potencial contributions of excellence couldinclude ways to accelerate the decarbonisation of the economy and/or the resilience of ecosystems or social and political systems, such as: climate finance, land-use management instruments, raising public and political awareness, boosting individual and institutional competencies, networks and partnerships with diverse actors from civil society, among others.

Prize Details

• The Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity, granted yearly, is worth 1 million euros. In the event of more than one laureate being distinguished, the award will be equitably divided.
• The prize should be used in a way that maximizes the invaluable contribution of the winning person/organisation and within the scope of its statutory activities.
• Accepting the prize, the winner will agree on a protocol with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in order to confirm the acceptance of the Prize and defining the communication of actions and activities related to the award.

Eligibility Criteria

• Candidates should be a person, group of people and/or an organization, of any nationality, that is making a significant contribution to develop solutions to tackle the climate crisis, having to demonstrate the reach or potential reach of outstanding outcomes and provide highly relevant evidence for impact in the future.
• Eligible organizations include:
  • Legal entities, public or private, profit-seeking or non-profit;
  • International organizations;
  • Universities and R&D institutions.
• The Award cannot be granted posthumously or to an organization after ceasing its activity nor to former members of the Jury of the Prize.

For more information, visit Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.