The Prize is awarded to a person or organization who contributes to the conservation and protection of water resources, and to the well-being of the planet and its inhabitants. All who have made extraordinary water-related achievements are eligible. Over the years, Stockholm Water Prize Laureates have represented a broad range of water-related activities, professions and scientific disciplines from all over the world.

The Prize is presented by the Swedish King H.M King Carl XVI Gustaf at a royal prize ceremony. The ceremony is held as part of World Water Week in August, where the Laureate plays an important role.

Anyone can submit a nomination for the Stockholm Water Prize, however, self-nominations or nominations by persons with direct professional or family ties to the candidate are not permitted.

The Stockholm Water Prize Nominating Committee goes through all the nominations and creates a shortlist, after which additional information is requested about shortlisted candidates. The Committee, which consists of world-leading experts from different academic fields, professions and geographical backgrounds, will thereafter select its top three candidates and submit this list to The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for further review and recommendations. The final decision is eventually taken by the Board of the Stockholm Water Foundation.

The first person to be presented with the Stockholm Water Prize back in 1991 was the Canadian ecologist Professor David W. Schindler, for important contributions to our understanding of the effects of organic pollutants and climate warming in lakes. Over the years, the Prize has been presented to outstanding thought leaders from many different fields and all parts of the world. Learn more about the laureates here.

Stockholm Water Foundation, Bacardi, Grundfos Foundation, Water Environment Federation, Xylem Inc, and Ålandsbanken