The winners have been announced for the fourth instalment of The Iris Prize - an international award that celebrates and funds young environmental stewards dedicated to catalysing climate action within their communities, and safeguarding the future of our planet’s ecosystems.
This year’s winners include Breathe Mongolia - tackling air pollution through youth advocacy and real‑time monitoring, Viaje al Microcosmos de Nuevo León (Mexico) - reconnecting communities with rivers through science, and Project Lawud (the Philippines) - protecting the endangered species dugongs by blending science with community action. The winners and runners-up, collectively, will be awarded $43,000 in funding and receive broader support, such as capacity-building, communications, and mentorship, to help scale their work for years to come.
““The 2025 winners remind us why backing youth leadership is one of our most urgent commitments for the planet. In Mongolia, Mexico, and the Philippines, young project leaders are taking on toxic air, restoring rivers, and protecting endangered species, proving that youth-led action delivers impact where it matters most. They don’t just give us hope, they deliver results.”
“Our job is to stand beside them with trust, tools, and visibility so they can go further. With the climate and nature crises accelerating, supporting young innovators isn’t optional - it’s essential if we want a safer, more sustainable future.” ”
Meet the Winners
Breathe Mongolia (Iris Prize – $15,000):
Based in Mongolia, Breathe Mongolia is fighting Mongolia’s air pollution crisis through youth-led advocacy, real-time monitoring and public education. The team has trained over 600 young people, mobilised 100 volunteers and reached rural communities with inclusive climate messaging.
Viaje al Microcosmos de Nuevo León (Stem Prize – $10,000):
This citizen-science project based in Mexico is turning Monterrey’s Santa Catarina River into a living laboratory. Through open expeditions and DIY microscopes, they’ve built a 600-strong community of observers and already boosted recorded species from 781 to 1,126, strengthening legal efforts for river protection.
Project Lawud (Seed Prize – $5,000):
In the Philippines’ Sarangani Bay, Project Lawud aims to protect dugongs by blending science with community action. The team maps sightings, trains young marine biologists and runs awareness campaigns that fill critical data gaps and influence marine conservation policy.
“Judging this year’s Iris Prize was a powerful reminder that the most transformative climate solutions often come from those closest to the challenges.”
”These young leaders are not waiting for permission; they are creating change, and their creativity, courage and commitment are exactly what the world needs to tackle the climate and nature crises. It was a privilege to be part of this year’s judging panel, and I’m looking forward to seeing how this funding can help these groups scale up their work.”
About The Iris Project
The Iris Prize is a global award supporting young environmental leaders aged 14-24 with funding, expert mentorship, and bespoke skill-building opportunities.
Established in 2022, The Iris Project is run in collaboration with the Global Fund for Children and has been established in memory of Iris Goldsmith, who died in a tragic accident aged 15. Iris had a deep and lifelong connection with the natural world, a gentle way with animals, and a particular love for the sea. In her memory, we are building a global community of young people working to protect and restore their local natural environment. We recognise that young people are already leading the way in finding solutions to the climate and ecological crisis. The Iris Project exists to shine a light on that leadership and to enable outstanding individuals to take it further by providing access to the funds and support that, all too often, they find too difficult to access.
Since its inception in 2022, The Iris Prize has directed £718,000 in funding and support to youth-led action - including 28 youth-led projects across 21 countries, as well as youth advisors and wider initiatives that amplify young leaders’ voices. Previous winners of the award have ranged from a wide variety of innovative and exciting projects, from combating pollution in the Uru Uru Lake in Bolivia and revitalising bee populations in Sierra Leone to training fisherwomen in aquaculture research in Guatemala.
With less than 1% of institutional climate funding currently being directed towards young people, youth-led environmental action remains massively underfunded. The Iris Prize’s approach focuses on supporting youth-led projects and is designed to address this disparity by highlighting the initiatives undertaken by young teams to protect and restore nature, as well as recognising the contributions of those committed to defending their environment.
