Spanish photographer Antonio Aragón Renuncio has won the coveted prize of Environmental Photographer of the Year 2021 for his photo titled The rising tide sons, which shows a child sleeping inside his house destroyed by coastal erosion on Afiadenyigba beach in Ghana. The photo shines a spotlight on the rising sea-levels in West-African countries, forcing thousands of people to leave their homes.
The winners were announced during theUN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow.
Now in its 14th year, the Environmental Photographer Of The Year competition showcases some of the world’s most inspirational environmental photography. The annual competition provides an international platform to raise awareness for the environmental issues that put our planet at risk.
This year's competition was organised by environmental and water management charity CIWEM(a free streaming platform dedicated to the future of our planet)WaterBear and Nikon.
Overall winner - The rising tide sons
A child sleeps on the floor of his house about to collapse, destroyed by coastal erosion on Afidegnigba beach, western Ghana. Sea levels off the coast of Togo and other West African countries continue to rise and swallow up everything in their path. Homes, crops, roads, trees, schools, jobs, resources and lives. However, the shore of this small country in the Gulf of Guinea is only one part of the massive problem that affects more than 8,000km of seacoast in 13 West African countries. The rising tide sons by Antonio Aragón Renuncio, 2019.By courtesy of the photographer and Environmental Photographer of the Year 2021
Young Environmental Photographer of the Year winner
A boy fighting surface fires in a forest near his home in Yamuna Ghat, New Delhi, India. According to locals, forest fires caused by human activity in the area are a common occurrence due to adverse living conditions. Inferno by Amaan Ali, 2021. By courtesy of the photographer and Environmental Photographer of the Year 2021
The Resilient Award winner
Flocks of sheep search for grass amongst the cracked soil. Extreme droughts in Bangladesh have created hardships for all living beings.Survive for alive by Ashraful Islam, 2021. By courtesy of the photographer and Environmental Photographer of the Year 2021
Sustainable Cities winner
A photobioreactor at Algalif’s facilities in Reykjanesbaer, Iceland, produces sustainable astaxanthin (an antioxidant) using clean geothermal energy. Iceland has shifted from fossil fuels to 100 per cent renewable sources for their electricity and heating. Net-zero transition Photobioreactor by Simone Tramonte, 2020.By courtesy of the photographer and Environmental Photographer of the Year 2021
Climate Action winner
A young boy takes in air from the plant in this symbolic image taken in Kenya, while a sand storm brews in the background. The last breath byKevin Ochieng Onyango, 2021.By courtesy of the photographer and Environmental Photographer of the Year 2021
Irregular monsoon seasons and droughts cause algal bloom on the Damodar river, India. Algal blooms prevent light from penetrating the surface and prevent oxygen absorption by the organisms beneath, impacting human health and habitats in the area.Green barrier by Sandipani Chattopadhyay, 2021. By courtesy of the photographer and Environmental Photographer of the Year 2021
Environments of the Future winner
An aerial view of the Panaro river’s flooding near Modena, Italy. Flood by Michele Lapini, 2020.By courtesy of the photographer and Environmental Photographer of the Year 2021
James Cutmore is the picture editor of BBC Science Focus Magazine. He has worked on the magazine and website for over a decade, telling compelling science stories through the use of striking imagery. He holds a degree in Fine Art, and has been nominated for the British Society of Magazine Editors Talent Awards, being highly commended in 2020. His main areas of interest include photography that highlights positive technology and the natural world. For many years he was a judge for the Wellcome Trust's image competition, as well as judging for the Royal Photographic Society.
