Stunning winning images of this year’s Environmental Photographer of the Year hail from the countries most affected by climate change
The winners of the Environmental Photographer of the Year Competition have been revealed, with termite-snatching drongos, cows wading through floodwater and a coral glowing like a Christmas tree captured by people from the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries.
Now in its 16th 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 issues that put our planet at risk.
This year’s six winners were primarily from countries most affected by climate change including Bangladesh, India, and Argentina, with photographers on the front-line using photos as a tool to spark climate action and generate awareness.
The winning image was captured by Maurizio di Pietro and takes the viewer behind the scenes of an innovative insect food experiment at the University of Turin which is assessing the potential of black soldier flies as a source of nutrition for tomorrow’s world. Insects have been highlighted an important source of protein, which could be utilised to help feed farmed animals and humans without using vast tracts of land or emitting large quantities of carbon dioxide.
‘When I choose a photographic subject, I must be driven by a strong interest and / or emotional involvement in it,’ said di Pietro in a statement about his win. ‘In addition to working on themes related to climate change, in the past, I have chosen to address issues of disability and to tell my own story through a project about my parents.
‘Winning this award is very important to me, because it gives me the energy and self-confidence to move forward in a profession that is constantly on the edge. Only by showing a way forward can we inspire people to abandon a doom-drenched view of the world and fight for a better one.’
