Living in Harmony with Nature and Future Generations

WFPA 2025 breites Design (1500 x 430 px)

The World Future Policy Award (WFPA) 2025 aims to celebrate top policy solutions for Nature, us and future generations of life. The World Future Council raises global awareness for exemplary laws and policies, accelerating policy action toward a common future. As the world’s premier policy prize, the WFPA internationally showcase inspiring and effective policies. Each year, we focus on one topic where progress is particularly urgent and receive nominations from across the globe.
This year’s title will be ‘Living in Harmony with Nature and Future Generations’.

Why is Policy Action needed?

WFPA World Future Policy Award 2025 green leaf

We need effective policies for living in harmony with Nature and future generations.
The ongoing triple planetary crisis (Loss of biodiversity, (chemical)pollution, climate change) threatens every life on earth – now and in future. This year’s World Future Policy Award, presented by the World Future Council in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and other respected organizations, underscores the critical importance of bringing attention to and sharing innovative, future-oriented legal and policy frameworks.

The Award also points to new efforts by the international community to protect biodiversity, such as the ambitious Kunming and Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (2022), which builds on the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. In addition, this year’s Award emphasises the need for a paradigm shift in the way we treat and respect Nature and Mother Earth – the foundation of all life. With this Award, we also want to draw attention to forward-looking policy making that incorporates new concepts such as Mother Earth, Earth Trusteeship, Nature’s rights etc. into policy approaches.

World Future policy award Flamingo image

WFPA World Future Policy Award 2025 blue coral

These forward-looking policies are essential as they offer holistic solutions that address the complexities of biodiversity loss while promoting the regeneration of ecosystems. In doing so, they advance the recognition of Nature’s intrinsic value by granting it legal rights. At a time when the world faces unprecedented environmental challenges, it is more urgent than ever to shine a spotlight on policies that can inspire transformative action globally. By recognising and celebrating these exemplary measures, we aim to encourage governments, organisations, and communities to adopt more sustainable approaches to preserving our natural world for future generations of life.

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

Convocatoria de Nominaciones en Español

Nomination Form

Nomination Criteria

Are either effective in restoring nature in ways that are identifiable or measurable and that reach the full potential of current and future generations of life; and have been in existence for at least 2-3 years, demonstrating effective implementation and impact;
Or grant rights to nature to ensure the development of solutions that are sustainable over time;
Align with the World Future Council’s 7 Future Just Principles;
Reflect diverse and inclusive approaches of nature, including policies addressing the perspectives and rights of indigenous peoples and future generations;
Are replicable in similar contexts;
Are transformative, innovative, and inspiring.

Process

Call for Nominations
Nominations are currently open until the 22nd of February 2025. Submit here.
Selection Process
The research team will apply the World Future Councils ‘Future Justice Policy Principles’ and other indices to the nominations. We will then provide a shortlist of laws, policies, and legal frameworks to our international jury of experts.
The Award Ceremony
The winners of the 2025 World Future Policy Award will be celebrated at a high-level award ceremony jointly with the International Union for Conservation of Nature at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, held on October 9-15, 2025.

“The ever-deeper conquest of nature via resource
extraction and economic expansion has serious
consequences for all life on earth.
The World Future Policy Award 2025 will highlight
policy measures that assure protection and regeneration
of the world’s nature, whilst safeguarding the needs
of present and future generations.”

Herbert Girardet

Co-founder of the World Future Council
Member of the Club of Rome

“We are the last generation capable of preventing
irreparable damage to our planet in light of the triple
planetary crisis. We are in urgent need of establishing
legal frameworks, precedents, and measures that move
beyond anthropocentrism, and instead promote and
protect biodiversity, nature, and indigenous wisdom.
This World Future Policy Award will identify forward-thinking
policies that inspire the creation of sustainable and visionary
legal frameworks for the future.”

María Fernanda Espinosa

Former President of the UN-General Assembly
Councillor of the World Future Council