EuroNatur Award

Honouring Environmental Excellence

The EuroNatur Award for Environmental Excellence shall honour an outstanding commitment in the field of nature conservation, the preservation of our environment, environmental education and the support of sustainable development. The award shall be presented to personalities who have committed themselves in an exemplary manner to the preservation of natural resources over a long period of time.

The EuroNatur Award for Environmental Excellence was awarded for the first time in 1992. Ever since several outstanding public figures have been honoured for their private, social, economical or political activities in the field of nature conservation. The festive award-ceremony accompanied by an international public relations campaign emphasized the merits of the laureats and the special needs of nature conservation.

Proposals for the EuroNatur Award for Environmental Excellence can be made by environmental NGOs, the members of the board of trustees and the chairmanship of EuroNatur, former prize winners and in special cases national and regional governments. Self-nomination is not possible.

List of Laureates

2022

Antje Grothus, Fedir Hamor and the nature conservation initiative Free Svydovets. Outstanding engagement for the protection of Europe's last natural and old-growth forests - under the most difficult conditions. More...

2021

The researchers of the World Biodiversity Council IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services). Outstanding engagement for the protection of biodiversity and the environment. More...

2020

The municipality of Mals in South Tyrol. Tireless commitment to sustainable agriculture without pesticides. More...

2019

The “Brave women of Kruščica”, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Extraordinary courage and perseverance in protecting their river. More...

2018

Roberto Epple, President of the European Rivers Network. Outstanding commitment to the protection of European river landscapes. More...

2017

Gudrun Steinacker, former ambassador in Montenegro. Outstanding commitment for the protection of Salina Ulcinj. More...

2016

Gabriel Paun, founder and president of the Romanian NGO Agent Green. Outstanding commitment for the protection of Romania's primeval forests.  More...

2015

Jonathan Franzen, best-selling US author and passionate bird-watcher. Outstanding commitment for bird protection in Europe. More...

2014

Hnutí Duha (Friends of the Earth Czech Republic) is one of the leading nature conservation NGOs in the Czech Republic, outstanding commitment for the protection of Šumava National Park/ European Green Belt.

2013 

Dr. Mario Broggi, forestry engineer and ecologist. Outstanding dedication for the protection of European natural heritage.

2012 

Dagi Kieffer (passed away in January 2021), founder of the German Foundation for Ecology & Farming. Outstanding  dedication for organic farming. 

2011 

Goran Gugic, Croatian conservationist and EuroNatur partner. Outstanding commitment for the protection of Sava and Danube floodlands.

2010

Dr. Ernst Paul Dörfler, conservationist und author from Eastern Germany, especially championing for the protection of  Elbe floodlands.

2009

Island of Tilos (Dodecanese). The award was accepted by mayor Dr. Anastasios Aliferis on behalf of the citizens of Tilos.

2008 

Prof. Dr. Herbert Sukopp, professor emeritus for ecosytem research at the Technical University of Berlin

2007 

Luc Hoffmann, MAVA Founder and President Emeritus of MAVA Foundation

2005 

Roland Emmerich, film director and producer

2005 

Dr. Hans Bibelriether, former director of Bavarian Forest National Park

2004 

Nelson Mandela, first democratic president of South Africa and Nobel Peace Prize winner 1993 (departed 2013)

2003 

Michail Gorbatschow, former president of the Soviet Union and  Nobel Peace Prize winner 1990 (departed 2022)

2002 

His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales (since 8 September 2022 Charles III)

2001 

Karl Ludwig Schweisfurth, founder of the Schweisfurth-Foundation and entrepreneur, passed away in February 2020

2000 

Volker Angres, Head of Environmental Department, ZDF (German TV)

2000 

Prof. Dr. Ernst Waldemar Bauer, nature documentary producer (departed 2015)

1999 

Prof. Dr. Klaus Töpfer, former Executive Director of the UnitedNations Environment Programme (UNEP)

1998 

Matthias Platzeck, Prime Minister of Brandenburg

1997 

Prof. Dr. Bernhard Friedmann, former President and Member of European Court of Auditors

Other EuroNatur-Award winners:

1996 Arnulf Müller-Helmbrecht, General Secretary of the Bonn Convention and Ulf Doerner, engineer for environmental technology - 1995 Prof. Dr. h.c. Dieter Stolte, Director of Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (German television channel) - 1994 Jürgen Weber, Chairman of the Board of Deutsche Lufthansa - 1993 Matthias Kleinert, former General Manager of Political and Foreign Affairs of DaimlerChrysler - 1992 Eco-city partnership Sersheim (Germany) / Canale (Italy)