An aerial photograph capturing the striking contrast between cracked, dry earth and turquoise waters at Burdur Lake in Türkiye wins the Public Choice Award for the annual photo competition organised by the European Environment Agency (EEA). The three thematic category prizes were awarded to photographs from Sweden and Spain.
The European Environment Agency (EEA) reveals today the winners of its 2025 “Environment&Me” photo competition. Launched in March 2025, this contest invited photographers from across Europe and neighboring partner countries to share images that capture their personal connection to the environment, how they experience, protect or are impacted by the environment in their daily lives.
Nearly 1,800 entries were submitted from across 36 countries, reflecting a powerful diversity of environmental stories and perspectives. These were narrowed down to 42 finalists and, ultimately, to our 4 talented winners. This year’s competition saw an impressive level of participation from across Europe, with Spain and Italy leading the way, together accounting for nearly a third of all submissions. Türkiye, Germany, and Portugal also ranked among the top contributors, reflecting strong engagement across both southern and central Europe.
The winners
The competition was structured around three thematic categories, plus a youth prize and a public choice award. An external jury chose one winning image from each category, except for the public choice award, which was selected by citizens’ vote.
BLUE – Water & Me
Ola Karlsson, Environment&Me 2025 / EEA
Title: “Bridge over troubled water”
Once solid and timeless, the frozen sea in Bjärred (Sweden) now thins with every passing winter. This aerial shot of people crossing a bridge over fragile ice captures the quiet truth that our climate is changing, and with it, the landscapes and lives we once took for granted.
GREEN – Nature & Me
Pepe Badia Marrero, Environment&Me 2025 / EEA
Title: “King of hearts”
Standing between heart-shaped leaves and golden light, a grasshopper rests in perfect balance. In this quiet moment in Anella Verda de Terassa (Spain), nature shows its delicate beauty.
ORANGE – Everyday Life & Me
Kristýna Koubková, Environment&Me 2025 / EEA
Title: “Work commitment”
Beneath the blazing sun, a donkey and its owners toil through parched Spanish fields of Teguise, turning dust into promise. In this harsh climate, only cooperation and perseverance can sow the seeds of a future harvest.
Youth Prize (ages 18–24)
Youth Prize is not awarded this year due to eligibility issues.
Public Choice Award
Fatih Yilmaz, Environment&Me 2025 / EEA
Title: “Flapping its wings against drought”
Selected through public voting, this aerial photo captures the striking contrast of cracked, dry earth and turquoise waters at Burdur Lake, Türkiye. Birds are scattered across the scene, some wading through a shallow, winding channel. The image powerfully reflects the region’s natural beauty amid signs of drought.
Congratulations to our 4 winners and a big thank you to all participants for sharing their beautiful photographs.
More information on the photo competition is available at this link.
