Prince Albert II Foundation rewards three planetary health pioneers

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation presented its annual awards in London on Friday, with Prince Albert II in attendance. Three winners were singled out for their environmental initiatives.

The 18th awards ceremony was held at 116 Pall Mall in London. Since 2008, these awards have honoured individuals and organisations committed to preserving the planet in three categories: awareness, science and innovation.

The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), chaired by Emmanuel Faber, was awarded the awareness prize. Created in 2021, this body has introduced international standards to measure businesses’ environmental impact. Its S1 and S2 IFRS standards provide investors with comparable data on climate risks.

The science prize went to Dr Gavin A. Schmidt, Director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. The New York-based British climatologist has published over 170 articles and developed tools for understanding the climate. He has also worked to make climate science accessible to the general public.

Ernst Götsch won the innovation prize for his work on syntropic agriculture. This Swiss agronomist has transformed degraded land in Brazil into productive ecosystems, without using chemicals. His method is inspired by the dynamics of natural forests, and in turn now inspires farmers all over the world.

A call for collective action

In his opening speech, Prince Albert II emphasised the role of science, given current divisions: “At a time when divisions deepen and uncertainty grows, science remains our only common language — our bridge to understanding, our foundation for cooperation, and our best hope for the future.  That is why we will continue to amplify its voice, and to support those who enlighten us through their knowledge, creativity, and commitment.” 

The three prizewinners then took part in a round table discussion led by Lovelda Vincenzi, calling for stronger links between science, governance and innovation.