The Dr A.H. Heineken Prize for Environmental Sciences and Sustainability honours pioneering work and research excellence in environmental sciences and sustainability. The prize encompasses research on climate, food systems, water, sustainable energy and sustainability-related challenges, including relevant aspects of human behaviour.
Every two years, the prize is awarded to a renowned researcher who has made groundbreaking contributions to the field. The prize includes an unrestricted cash prize of EUR 300,000 and a trophy, funded by the Alfred Heineken Fondsen Foundation.
History of the prize
Alfred Heineken established the Dr A.H. Heineken Prize for Environmental Sciences in 1990, as environmental challenges became increasingly apparent.
In 2026, the Alfred Heineken Fondsen Foundation renamed the prize the Dr A.H. Heineken Prize for Environmental Sciences and Sustainability, broadening its scope to reflect the increasing importance of sustainability-oriented research and encompass both scientific and behavioural perspectives.
Notable laureates
Laureates of the prize include some of the world’s leading scientists. Among them are James Lovelock, who revolutionized the understanding of environmental problems with his Gaia hypothesis that presents the earth as a self-regulating complex system; Paul Ehrlich, whose publications about environmental threats, including the explosive growth of the world population, were a significant source of inspiration to the Club of Rome; and Corinne Le Quéré, who made major contributions to our understanding of the interaction between climate change and the ocean carbon cycle.