National and Regional Earth Championships

Finding and celebrating people who are healing and sustaining our planet.

The Earth Champions Global Programmes bring cities and regions together to discover, celebrate, and connect the people and practices creating positive change. By recognising local action and sharing what works, we help communities learn from one another and build a healthier, more resilient future.

Why Global Programmes Matter

Across the world, thousands of people are already taking action to protect their communities and the environment. Yet much of this work remains unseen, unsupported, and disconnected.

Earth Champions Global Programmes exist to change that. By bringing communities together at a city or regional level, they help uncover local leadership, build shared understanding, and accelerate the spread of practical solutions.

When people are recognised and connected, confidence grows. Communities become more resilient, wellbeing improves, and ideas that work in one place can inspire change far beyond it.

Over 450 Earth Champions have already been discovered and celebrated worldwide.

HOW OUR PROGRAMMES WORK

Communities around the world are invited to take part in an Earth Champions Quest – a shared journey to discover and celebrate people, projects, youth leadership, Indigenous wisdom, and progressive government initiatives creating positive change.

Through a clear, structured process, local action and national policies are recognised, connected, and shared so communities and countries can learn from one another and build lasting impact.

Global Programmes Around the World

Switzerland

Switzerland’s Earth Champions Quest highlighted innovation across regions, recognising practical environmental leadership, strong civic participation, and collaboration between communities and institutions, demonstrating how values and local action can drive progress.

Bristol

Bristol and Bath brought communities together to uncover local leaders, celebrate practical climate solutions, and build connections across wellbeing, biodiversity, and resilience, proving how city-wide collaboration can inspire lasting change.

China

Hong Kong’s Earth Champions Quest revealed a powerful network of everyday changemakers, combining community nominations, environmental benchmarks, and shared celebration to strengthen accountability, hope, and long-term action across the city.

Australia Quest

The first Earth Champions Award was presented by Nelson Mandela in to Gina Litton of Western Australia, on the 8th of September in 2000, for her work saving the Old Great Jarrah Forests. A second Australian programme was held in Byron Shire.

In Progress: Kent

Kent’s Earth Champions Quest is underway in a region known as the food basket of the UK, where healthy soil, water, and communities are vital to the nation. Donations will help bring people together to discover local leadership, share practical solutions, and build a programme that protects nature and supports resilient food and farming.

“UNEP would be happy to work with the Earth Champions Foundation. We should not waste the great potential we have for supporting and promoting one another’s work in recognising environmental champions.”

“This programme brings the search for environmental solutions from high-level conferences to the grass-root level. This really does bring about change.”

“The Earth Champions Award spotlights a grass-roots movement that can mobilise the local community to action for sustainability.”

“The last great expedition on Earth is to survive on Earth. The future heroes and heroines are the everyday people who are going to make the changes.”

Global Programmes

We are building towards the Earth Champions Olympiad – a shared global moment where cities and nations come together to celebrate leadership, innovation, and practical solutions for the planet.

Now, we re building toward a global celebration.

The Earth Champions Olympiad is a worldwide stage for cities and nations to showcase their most effective environmental solutions every four years, alongside the Summer Olympics.