The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation revealed the laureates of its 2025 Planetary Health Awards at the historic 116 Pall Mall in London on Friday 17th October, in the presence of Prince Albert II of Monaco.
Since its inception in 2008, the awards have recognised leading individuals and organisations making vital contributions to the protection of the planet, across three key areas: awareness, science, and innovation.
“Science remains our best hope for the future”
In his opening address, Prince Albert II delivered a stirring message on the need for unity and the central role of science in tackling the escalating environmental crisis. “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,” said the Prince.
He called for stronger alliances across disciplines and generations, and reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to empowering those advancing change.
“This mission requires alliances — between policymakers, entrepreneurs, scientists, journalists, artists and activists. Between generations, too: the experienced and the emerging talents we are bringing together through our ReGen Initiative. And, of course, with the outstanding laureates we are about to honour this evening.”
The 2025 Laureates: Driving Change Across the Globe
This year’s award recipients span three continents and exemplify the transformative power of knowledge and practice in the face of planetary challenges.
Awareness: International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB)
Led by Emmanuel Faber, the ISSB was honoured for its groundbreaking work in building a global framework for sustainability reporting. Established in 2021 by the IFRS Foundation, the ISSB’s standards — IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 — are reshaping corporate accountability by ensuring transparent, comparable disclosures on climate and sustainability risks.
“We express our gratitude to the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation for their recognition of the work of the International Sustainability Standards Board,” said Faber. “Enabling the disclosure of better information to capital markets about sustainability risks and opportunities ultimately supports better decision-making.”
Science: Dr Gavin A. Schmidt
A leading climate modeller and the Director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, Dr Schmidt has authored more than 170 scientific papers and developed key modelling tools now essential to climate research. His commitment to public engagement has also played a critical role in raising awareness and informing policy globally.
“It is immensely gratifying to have my work and outreach recognised by the Foundation as being vital for planetary health,” said Dr Schmidt. “This would not have been possible without the contributions from my many colleagues who have worked with me for decades to support and improve our scientific understanding around climate change.”
Innovation & Solutions: Ernst Götsch
Swiss agronomist and farmer Ernst Götsch received the Innovation Award for his development of syntropic agriculture — a regenerative farming method inspired by forest ecosystems. His approach, pioneered in Brazil, has proven that agriculture can restore biodiversity, regenerate soil health, and remain economically viable without synthetic inputs.
“To have been honoured to receive the Planetary Health Award is a great encouragement to continue with even more energy what I began five decades ago,” Götsch said. “It is an opening of a window, a flash of hope, that one day, together, we will come to a reconciliation with our splendid, infinitively generous Mother Earth.”
A Call for Global Cooperation
Following the awards, the three laureates took part in a panel discussion moderated by Lovelda Vincenzi, reflecting on the key turning points in their careers and the collaborative effort required to create systemic change.
Their conversation reinforced a central theme of the evening: that addressing the climate and biodiversity crisis will require a combined effort across governance, science, private enterprise and local communities.
The evening ceremony concluded a significant day for the Prince Albert II Foundation, which also convened its Board of Directors and international Branch Presidents earlier in the day.
Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, catch our podcast on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.
Main photo credit: Michael Alesi, Prince’s Palace