Goldman Environmental Prize 2025: ​7 Grassroots Environmental Activists Honored

Current Context: The Goldman Environmental Prize 2025, often called the "Green Nobel Prize," honored seven grassroots environmental activists for their exceptional contributions to environmental protection across six inhabited continental regions.

• The award ceremony took place on April 21, 2025, in San Francisco, California, during Earth Week.

Here are some highlights of the winners:

• Semia Gharbi (Tunisia): Led a campaign against waste trafficking, resulting in the return of 6,000 tons of illegally exported waste to Italy and policy changes within the EU.
• Batmunkh Luvsandash (Mongolia): Secured a 66,000-acre protected area to safeguard endangered species like the Asiatic wild ass.
• Besjana Guri & Olsi Nika (Albania): Advocated for the designation of the Vjosa Wild River National Park, Europe's first wild river ecosystem park.
• Carlos Mallo Molina (Spain): Halted the Fonsalía Port project, preserving a 170,000-acre marine protected area in Tenerife.
• Laurene Allen (USA): Forced the closure of a plant responsible for 20+ years of environmental contamination, benefiting thousands of residents.
• Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari (Peru): Led a legal campaign granting the Marañón River legal personhood, ensuring its protection.

Question:

Q.1 Which environmental activist led a campaign that resulted in the return of 6,000 tons of illegally exported waste from Tunisia to Italy?
a) Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari
b) Laurene Allen
c) Semia Gharbi
d) Besjana Guri

Answer: c) Semia Gharbi from Tunisia was recognized for her efforts against waste trafficking. Her campaign led to the return of 6,000 tons of waste illegally exported to Tunisia from Italy, and it also contributed to policy reforms within the EU.