13 Finalists Announced for the 2025 World Future Policy Award

The World Future Council today revealed the 13 policy finalists competing for the 2025 World Future Policy Award, which honours laws and policy frameworks that safeguard Nature and the rights of future generations.

The World Future Policy Award (WFPA), established in 2009, is the world’s leading prize for policy solutions. This year, the WFPA recognises exemplary policies that foster and enable a paradigm shift in policy making in the way we treat and respect Nature – the foundation of all life. 

Forty-one nominations from 21 countries were received, from which 13 finalists were selected. These laws have developed holistic solutions that go beyond the protection of nature and thus enable life in harmony with nature. The laws make an outstanding contribution to the well-being of present and future generations of all living beings on Earth. 

The 13 Finalists are:

National/regional legislations

Aotearoa New Zealand: Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Act (2017)

Austria: Environmental Ombudsoffice of Tyrol (Tiroler Umweltanwaltschaft), (1991/2005)

Bhutan: Biodiversity Act (2022)

Japan: Basic Act on Biodiversity (2008)

Norway: Nature Diversity Act (2009)

Panama: Law 287, which recognises the Rights of Nature and the related obligations of the State with these rights (2022)

South Africa: National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (NEM:BA) (2004)

Spain: Law 19/2022 Granting Mar Menor and its basin status of a legal person (2022)

Uganda: The National Environment Act (2019)

United Arab Emirates: Federal Law No. 24 of 1999 on the Protection and Development of the Environment, (1999)

Global/international frameworks

European Union: Nature Restoration Law (EU Regulation) (2024)

International: BBNJ – Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (2023)

International: Kunming-Montreal Global Diversity Framework GBF (2022)

“Since 2009, the World Future Council has honoured policies that tackle the world’s most pressing challenges,” said Neshan Gunasekera, CEO of the World Future Council. “This year’s theme goes beyond urgent. It is existential. To safeguard life on Earth, decision-making must embrace principles of Earth trusteeship, inspired by Indigenous wisdom such as the Kaitiakitanga from the Māori world view and other knowledge systems. We are delighted to see how this year’s finalists are putting these into action.”

The 2025 Award is presented by the World Future Council in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). Winners will be announced at a high-level ceremony during the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi in October 2025.