World’s Top Science Competition Awards $3M to Three Visionary Scientists Tackling Global Climate Crisis

VILLARS, SWITZERLAND, June 17, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Frontiers Planet Prize has today unveiled its 2025 International Champions - three visionary scientists from across the globe, whose groundbreaking scientific research offers powerful, scalable solutions to keep humanity safely within the planetary boundaries.

Each Champion will now receive a $1 million prize, empowering them to scale their research, drive real-world impact, and accelerate solutions that safeguard the planet for future generations.

This year’s International Champions will be revealed at the Frontiers Planet Prize Award Ceremony, hosted by the Villars Institute as part of the 2025 Villars Symposium in Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland. The International Champions were selected from a group of 19 National Champions chosen by the independent Jury of 100, a group of renowned sustainability and planetary health experts chaired by Professor Johan Rockström.

The world’s largest and most ambitious science competition for planetary health, the Frontiers Planet Prize is a global call to action - accelerating innovation, igniting impact, and rallying the academic world to confront the planetary crisis with urgency and bold solutions.

This year’s winning research spans areas which are high on the agenda for those working to address the climate crisis. After a global geopolitical shake up, further extreme weather events and an upcoming critical COP30, new solutions for mitigating global heating are under the spotlight more than ever.

From the environmental and social impacts of global trade to the advancement of green infrastructure and sustainable farming, each project offers bold, science-driven solutions designed to inspire and empower both citizens and governments to take meaningful action in addressing today’s planetary health challenges.

This year’s International Champions are:

• Australia: Dr Arunima Malik, The University of Sydney: Polarizing and equalizing trends in international trade and Sustainable Development Goals

Dr Malik is collaborating with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network to produce policy reports for the European Union, highlighting the environmental and social impacts of international trade. Additionally, the findings are highly relevant for shaping policies related to the Loss and Damage (L&D) fund, offering data-driven guidance on financial contributions from developed countries to support developing nations in addressing climate-related losses and damages.

• Sweden: Prof Zahra Kalantari, KTH Royal Institute of Technology: Contribution of prioritized urban nature-based solutions allocation to carbon neutrality

Using a data-driven approach, this study identifies high-impact areas for green infrastructure, urban forests, and sustainable streetscapes, potentially reducing emissions by 57.3% by 2030. The framework provides cities with practical tools to meet climate neutrality targets, enhance urban resilience, and guide both public planners and private developers in utilizing nature-based solutions to offset greenhouse gas emissions.

• United States of America: Dr Zia Mehrabi, University of Colorado Boulder: Joint environmental and social benefits from diversified agriculture

By uniting researchers and farmers across continents, the study provides the first cross-cultural evidence that diversification practices can bring farming systems within planetary boundaries, reduce environmental impacts, and support livelihoods. The research outlines practical interventions for governments, NGOs, and civil society, offering clear pathways for policy implementation and demonstrating the importance of investment in these areas for sustainable and just global food systems.

Launched by the Frontiers Research Foundation on Earth Day 2022, the Frontiers Planet Prize aims to mobilize science for a global green renaissance. The Prize is endorsed by the International Science Council in its efforts to accelerate the most impactful scientific solutions. Now in its third year, the Prize has engaged over 600 leading universities and research institutions across six continents and 23 national academies of science.

Commenting on the Frontiers Planet Prize, Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research said: "The Frontiers Planet Prize is more than a scientific award - it is a catalyst for the urgent transformation we need to stay within planetary boundaries. The three 2025 International Champions exemplify the power of science to deepen the understanding of the fundamentals of our earth systems while also delivering actionable, scalable solutions to the intertwined crises of climate, biodiversity, and inequality. Their work stands at the intersection of scientific novelty, innovation and impact, showing us that a sustainable and just future is within reach—if we act boldly, and fast. It has been an honor to chair the Jury of 100 and witness firsthand the incredible depth of scientific excellence mobilized by this prize."

Jean-Claude Burgelman, Director of the Frontiers Planet Prize, added: “The 2025 International Champions embody the spirit of the Frontiers Planet Prize: bold science in service of humanity and the planet. This Prize is building a global community of researchers who are not only advancing knowledge but actively shaping the path to a sustainable future. These Champions inspire all of us – demonstrating that through collaboration, courage, and scientific integrity, transformative change is not only possible, but already underway.”

Will Kirk
Forster Communications
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