--- title: How We Chose the 2026 TIME Earth Awards description: The list honors individuals influencing the future of the planet through their work in climate justice. canonical: https://time.com/article/2026/03/19/how-we-chose-2026-earth-awards/ author: TIME Staff article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-03-19T12:30:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-19T07:44:50.309Z article:section: Climate og:title: How We Chose the 2026 TIME Earth Awards og:description: The list honors individuals influencing the future of the planet through their work in climate justice. og:url: https://time.com/article/2026/03/19/how-we-chose-2026-earth-awards/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1b798b999b9af977/69b9a8955a03c81091ee459f/earth_awards_how_we_chose.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9%2Coffset-x100.00%2Coffset-y0.00 og:image:width: 2400 og:image:height: 1350 og:image:alt: earth awards how we chose.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How We Chose the 2026 TIME Earth Awards twitter:description: The list honors individuals influencing the future of the planet through their work in climate justice. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1b798b999b9af977/69b9a8955a03c81091ee459f/earth_awards_how_we_chose.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9%2Coffset-x100.00%2Coffset-y0.00 ---  # How We Chose the 2026 TIME Earth Awards > Sponsored content. 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Future Proof is TIME's weekly climate and energy newsletter, written by senior correspondent Justin Worland. It connects the energy transition to the decisions reshaping business, technology, policy and markets. #### Where can I follow the energy transition as a business story? Future Proof covers climate and energy as an economic and business story rather than only an environmental one. It publishes every Friday and is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who writes Future Proof? Justin Worland, a senior correspondent at TIME and an award-winning climate journalist, writes Future Proof. #### Is Future Proof free? Yes. Future Proof is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-futureproof-2026q3/newsletters?i=6314c1bf-b0cc-4532-a13c-5b070ee2c6ca&cr=time-nl-futureproof-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Earth Awards | Stella McCartney on her career ambitions [Watch (HLS stream): Earth Awards | Stella McCartney on her career ambitions](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/k2Q4MAsp.m3u8) (0:43)  _Published 2026-03-19. The list honors individuals influencing the future of the planet through their work in climate justice._ by [TIME Staff](https://time.com/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Mar 19, 2026 12:30 PM UTC  Oliver Berg—picture-alliance/dpa/AP; Courtesy; Emma Hardy for TIME; Edouard Monfrais-Albertini—Hans Lucas/Redux by [TIME Staff](https://time.com/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Mar 19, 2026 12:30 PM UTC Every year TIME honors individuals whose actions have had an undeniable impact on efforts to tackle one of the most urgent crises facing our planet: climate change. [TIME’s Earth Awards](https://time.com/collection/earth-awards/2026/) are an opportunity to celebrate those who are inspiring and effecting lasting progress. This year, TIME is excited to bring together a particularly international group of honorees. This year’s class includes the U.K.’s [Stella McCartney](https://time.com/collection/earth-awards/2026/stella-mccartney/), who over the past 25 years, has shown that you don’t need to harm animals or the environment in the name of luxury fashion. Looking ahead, the designer is taking her game-changing vision one step further by leveraging her leadership as an advocate, adviser, and champion of responsible practices across the fashion industry. As the former CEO of Ingka Group—the primary operator of the Swedish furniture company Ikea’s stores—[Jesper Brodin](https://time.com/collection/earth-awards/2026/jesper-brodin/) has similarly shown the corporate world that it is in fact possible to run a profitable business while also cutting your carbon footprint. He is now bringing this expertise to C-suites as he advises business leaders on how to put sustainability at the core of their mission. Alongside McCartney and Brodin, we honor [Damilola Ogunbiyi](https://time.com/collection/earth-awards/2026/Damilola-Ogunbiyi/), CEO and Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, and Co-Chair of U.N.-Energy. Originally from Nigeria, Ogunbiyi is committed to ensuring the green transition is swift—and equitable. Under her leadership, the U.N. and SEforALL are fostering collaboration across sectors and geographies to close the global energy gap. Finally, [Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim](https://time.com/collection/earth-awards/2026/hindou-oumarou-ibrahim/) has been a dedicated global voice for the role of Indigenous communities in solving climate change. As president of the Indigenous women and peoples association of Chad, her home country, she is working to elevate the expertise and experiences of local communities at the highest levels of decision making. These trailblazers are a fitting mix to represent the state of climate action in 2026\. Last year was ranked the[ third hottest year](https://climate.copernicus.eu/copernicus-2025-was-third-hottest-year-record) on record. And while the U.S. may have [shrunk](https://time.com/7301792/big-beautiful-bill-trump-global-climate-action/) from the global stage when it comes to tackling rising greenhouse gas emissions, other countries continue to forge ahead. The reality of shifting geopolitics means innovation, creativity, leadership, and collaboration are more essential than ever. This spirit is captured every day in the work championed by our four honorees. 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