Climate Change Photo Essay Prize

The Climate Change Photo Essay Prize calls upon 18 – 30-year-olds from Africa and the global diaspora community to document the environmental changes happening before their very eyes. After the success of the first-ever edition of the Climate Change Photo Essay Prize in 2023, we are thrilled to launch the second edition of the prize with the theme – “At a crossroad: Climate and change”.

This theme asks young photographers to consider how the ecological crisis is currently changing lives, how innovation and technology are responding to the crisis, and where change is not happening fast enough. The world is now at a crossroad when it comes to climate change, and photography can serve both as a tool for advocacy and as a barometer to show us where we stand.

Entrants do not need to be professional photographers or artists — all are encouraged to enter. Entry into the prize is free, and applicants retain full image copyrights (See Ethical and Legal Guidelines below). Entrants are asked to submit a photo essay of three to five photographs that tell a cohesive story and address the theme.

The Climate Change Photo Essay Prize is run by Africa Soft Power (ASP), in association with African Women Board (AWB) as part of the ‘Road to 100 Million Climate Soldiers in Africa’ campaign. The campaign is focused on climate education, which we view as the first step in securing climate solutions. Our goal is to educate and empower 100 million young Africans in the fight against climate change, which we will measure through the reach of each of the campaign’s projects.

Finalists will have their work shown in a series of international exhibitions. Last year’s finalists had their work shown in Nairobi, New York, Lagos, London and Kigali.

Download 2023 Edition Report