Right Livelihood Award (the 'Alternative Nobel Prize')

Areas of focus

The award is explicitly interdisciplinary. Laureates are selected for contributions across a range of fields, commonly including:

• environmental protection
• human rights
• sustainable development
• health
• education
• peace and conflict resolution

Selection, prize and ceremony

An international jury, convened at the invitation of the award's regular board members, evaluates nominations and selects the laureates. The prize money is shared among the recipients — typically several individuals or organisations in a given year — and is publicly noted as €200,000 in total. Presentation events take place annually in early December and are designed to amplify the winners' work rather than stage a large commercial spectacle.

History and development

Jakob von Uexkull established the prize as a response to the narrowing of attention in international discourse and to create a platform for initiatives offering alternatives to destructive political or economic models. Over the decades the award has adapted to new global concerns, while preserving its emphasis on practical impact, grassroots innovation and moral courage.

Notable laureates and examples

The roster of recipients is diverse, reflecting the award's broad remit. Examples include energy and policy analysts such as Mycle Schneider and Amory Lovins, cultural figures like Astrid Lindgren, and early environmental and peace activists such as Petra Kelly. Other laureates include human rights defenders, investigative groups and organisations that have challenged nuclear secrecy, advanced social justice or provided critical health and education services in difficult contexts.

Significance and distinctions

The Right Livelihood Award is valued less for prestige alone and more for the visibility, moral support and practical assistance it gives to recipients. It often recognizes long‑term commitment and systemic change rather than single achievements. Because it deliberately spotlights alternatives, the award has sometimes generated controversy; nevertheless, it remains an influential instrument for promoting sustainable, rights‑based and people‑centred solutions to global challenges.

For further reading and official information, follow the award's published materials and announcements via the organisation's communications channels and annual reports.