See the list: 53 candidates nominated for the 2026 Nordic Council Environment Prize

This year, 69 nominations have been received, representing 53 initiatives and/or candidates. The 53 nominees span the whole of the Nordic Region and showcase the wide range of green initiatives shaping the region under this year’s theme of educating children and young people on environmental and climate issues.

The nomination process for the Nordic Council Environment Prize is open to everyone and is designed to be a transparent and democratic public process. Individuals, projects, businesses, and organisations working towards a more sustainable future within this year’s theme were all eligible for nomination.

The nominated candidates range from local initiatives teaching children how to grow their own food and restore wetlands, to national sustainability education programmes and Nordic youth networks influencing climate policy – and they include organisations, businesses, and individual changemakers. 

The candidates selected for final nomination will be announced on 26 June during Almedalen Week in Sweden. The winner will receive the “Nordlys” statuette at a ceremony during the Session of the Nordic Council in Helsinki in October 2026. The prize is worth DKK 300,000. The Nordic Council Environment Prize features a different theme each year. In 2026, the focus is on initiatives that educate children and young people about environmental and climate issues.