Environmental Photography Award 2026

For each of the five categories, the jury will choose a winning image and 2 runners-up. The jury will choose the grand prize winner (Environmental Photographer 2026) among the category winners.

Categories:

1. Polar Regions - Images depicting landscapes, wildlife and local communities in the Arctic and Antarctic polar regions illustrated as pristine areas to be preserved.

The Arctic polar region includes the North of Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Iceland, Alaska, Canada, Greenland. The Antarctic polar region includes the Sub-Antarctic Islands (South Georgia, Marion and Prince Edward Islands, Crozet and Kerguelen Archipelagos, Heard and McDonald Islands and Macquarie Island).

2. Forests - Images highlighting the beauty of the flora and fauna that make up the forest ecosystem and the lives of native communities in the boreal, temperate and tropical forests.

3. Ocean - Images that illustrate the richness of our seas and oceans, whether on or under the surface, and showcase the diversity of marine wildlife. Images of rivers and lakes should not be submitted.

4. Humanity vs Nature - Images that depict the conflicting relationship between humans and nature, and the negative impact of human activities on the environment: issues related to the consequences of climate change (droughts, wildfires, extreme climate events…), the loss of biodiversity (endangered species, disastrous interactions between humans and wildlife…), as well as the depletion of the world’s water resources.

5. Changemakers - Images that highlight the efforts and actions implemented globally by communities and organisations that help build a more sustainable world and more harmonious relationship between man and nature. It aims to demonstrate hope for Humanity and for the Planet. This category is more about the human aspect than the technologies themselves.