Courage begins when knowledge becomes action

They conduct research. They speak out. They take great personal risks. The Courageous Scientists Award honours people who turn knowledge into action and fight for justice in the face of escalating ecological & climate collapse. The nominees’ identities will be revealed at the award ceremony. Until then, here’s a glimpse of the actions being honoured:

AMAZON — BRAZIL
For fighting extractive and infrastructure projects that threaten the Xingu regions’ rivers, forests and Indigenous territories together with “Movimento Xingu Viovo para Sempre”.

OKINAWA — JAPAN
For challenging the environmental and human rights impacts of US military bases, despite repeated government prosecution.

NEW CALEDONIA
For protecting biodiversity while strengthening the role of young people & local communities in conservation together with “Gardiens Des Iles”.

ETHIOPIA
For transforming urban areas into socially connected and ecologically thriving cities by drawing on local and Indigenous knowledge together with a diversity of local organizations.

UNITED KINGDOM
For peaceful civil disobedience together with “Just Stop Oil” against new oil, gas and coal projects — at the cost of multi-year prison sentences.

This year, for the first time, two Honorary Awards for Lifetime Achievement will be presented to activists from Nigeria & Honduras.
The award ceremony will be accompanied by talks with Shoura Zehetner-Hashemi, Executive Director of Amnesty International Austria, and Christine Ax, Chair of the Network for the Rights of Nature.