The Goldman Environmental Prize, the world's largest environmental award, has been awarded to six grassroots environmental activists representing North America, Africa, Asia, South and Central America, Europe, and Islands and Island Nations.

The prize, often called the "Nobel for the environment" and now in its sixteenth year, comes with an unrestricted award of $125,000. It was created in 1990 by philanthropists Richard N. Goldman, founder of San Francisco-based Goldman Insurance Services, and his late wife, Rhoda, a descendant of Levi Strauss, the founder of the world-famous clothing company.

This year's recipients are Isidro Baldenegro Lopez, 38, of Chihuahua, Mexico (North America); Corneille Ewango, 41, of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Africa); Kaisha Atakhanova, 47, of Karaganda, Kazakhstan (Asia); Father Jos� Andr�s Tamayo Cortez, 47, of Olancho, Honduras (South and Central America); Stephanie Roth, 34, of Rosia Montana, Romania (Europe); and Chavannes Jean-Baptiste, 58, of Papay, Haiti (Island and Island Nations).

"The caliber of this year's winners takes environmental activism to new heights for risk, dedication, and vision," said Goldman, president of the Goldman Environmental Foundation. "The prize has two significant goals. The first is to make the world aware of what the efforts of one individual can accomplish, and the second, to influence world leadership, especially in the recipients' home countries, to act positively and promptly to save our planet from further destruction."

To learn more about this year's winners, see: http://www.goldmanprize.org/press/press.html.