Our DecouplingIT partner organisation in Bangladesh, NGO Friendship, has been awarded the Earthshot Prize 2025, one of the world’s most prestigious recognitions for environmental innovation, often described as the “Nobel Prize for the environment.” The award was announced in early November 2025 in Rio de Janeiro, where Friendship won in the “Fix Our Climate” category.

Friendship’s integrated approach, delivering essential services such as healthcare, education and agriculture to climate vulnerable communities, has been central to this achievement. Their work focuses on strengthening climate resilience by saving lives, restoring ecosystems and creating sustainable opportunities.

Friendship has also been supporting DecouplingIT and its postdoctoral researcher Hasib Ahsan in conducting ethnographic fieldwork in the climate vulnerable riverine char islands of Kurigram and Gaibandha in northern Bangladesh. The research focuses on climate-smart agriculture, climate health and livelihoods. In these regions, Friendship provides agricultural services as well as healthcare through floating hospitals, Digital Health initiatives and primary healthcare support. NGO Friendship has been a long-term collaborator with Hasib since 2011, including during the early design of Digital Health interventions in the climate vulnerable char areas.

The Earthshot Prize was founded by HRH Prince William, who serves as its President. It operates in partnership with leading organisations such as the UN Environment Programme, WWF and the National Geographic Society, and is guided by a distinguished group of leaders, trustees and council members, including Sir David Attenborough, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, among others.