Winners Decided for "The MIDORI Prize for Biodiversity 2026"

The MIDORI Prize for Biodiversity

AEON Environmental Foundation

Logo of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity

The AEON Environmental Foundation (Chairman: Motoya Okada, Director and Representative Executive Officer, AEON Co., Ltd., hereinafter referred to as "the Foundation") and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (Executive Secretary: Astrid Schomaker, hereinafter referred to as "SCBD"*), have decided on two recipients for "The MIDORI Prize for Biodiversity 2026 (9th MIDORI Prize for Biodiversity)". We will honor the recipients and hold an award ceremony and recipient forum in Tokyo.

*SCBD is based in Montreal, Canada, and supports the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity. (www.cbd.int)

Recipients (Alphabetical Order by Last Name)

Lina PAGUNTALAN-MARTE (Philippines)

Executive Director, Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation (PhilBio)

[Reason for Award]

For over 25 years, she has been dedicated to biodiversity conservation in the Philippines, achieving remarkable results in the rediscovery of the Philippine bare-backed fruit bat, thought to be extinct, and in the research and conservation of endangered species such as the Visayan wrinkled hornbill. Furthermore, she has led the regional implementation of the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, and established mechanisms to incorporate biodiversity conservation into local government plans and budgets, promoting its mainstreaming. She has also developed initiatives that emphasize respect for indigenous peoples' rights and the promotion of women's participation, establishing a sustainable conservation model that connects policy and local communities.

Alexandra ZIMMERMANN (Germany)

Chair of the Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence Specialist Group, IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC)

[Reason for Award]

Amidst the escalating conflict between wildlife and human society in various parts of the world, including Japan, she has advocated for human-wildlife coexistence as a critical issue in biodiversity conservation globally, leading research, practice, and policy-making for over 25 years. She established the IUCN SSC Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence Specialist Group, promoting the development of international guidelines and the establishment of practical networks, while also introducing insights from peacebuilding and conflict resolution into the conservation field. She is also advancing the creation of an international collaborative platform connecting researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, positioning this issue as a key priority in biodiversity policy.

The MIDORI Prize for Biodiversity

This prize was established in 2010, coinciding with the 10th Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity held in Nagoya and the 20th anniversary of the Foundation's establishment. It is an international award co-organized by the Foundation and SCBD, awarded biennially to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to biodiversity conservation, its utilization, and the realization of a sustainable society. Recipients are awarded 100,000 US dollars to support their respective activities for biodiversity conservation. To date, 21 individuals from 20 countries have been honored. In collaboration with the recipients, the Foundation has also facilitated tree planting in Jakarta, Indonesia, since 2011, and near Hanoi, Vietnam, since 2014. Since 2013, students from Vietnam National University, Hanoi, have participated in the Asian Students Exchange Program on Environment (ASEP), and in 2024, participation in the International Youth Conference on Biodiversity (IYCB) held in Yokohama was realized. We plan to further strengthen collaboration with recipients and expand environmental activities.

(For details, please visit https://www.aeonkankyozaidan.or.jp/prize/award/)

Award Ceremony and Recipient Forum

・Date and Time: August 27, 2026 (Thu) 16:00 - 17:30

・Venue: Imperial Hotel Tokyo, 2nd Floor, "Peacock Room West"

・Organizers: AEON Environmental Foundation, Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity

・Supporters: Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

・Registration: https://www.aeonkankyozaidan.or.jp/2026midoriprizeforum/

The Foundation and SCBD will actively promote environmental activities, including support for biodiversity conservation, to pass on a beautiful, life-filled Earth to future generations.