From Seyi Tayese, Yenagoa
Nigerian environmentalist and climate justice activist, Dr Nnimmo Bassey, on Tuesday received an Award for Lifetime Achievement at the Courageous Scientists Award in Vienna, Austria, in recognition of his decades of advocacy against the environmental and human rights impacts of oil extraction in the Niger Delta.
Anna Dietl, of the Courageous Scientists Award team announced the development in a statement shortly after the ceremony.
According to the statement, Bassey, a laureate of the 2010 Right Livelihood Award, was among six individuals honoured at a ceremony held on Tuesday at Porgy & Bess Jazz Club in Vienna.
The award recognises scientists and activists who have demonstrated courage in defending the environment and advancing climate justice despite personal risks and political resistance.
Bassey is also a recipient of Nigeria’s national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) for environmental activism bestowed on him by the Federal Government.
The organisers said Bassey was honoured for his longstanding commitment to confronting the ecological destruction and human rights consequences associated with oil exploration and production in the Niger Delta.
The Courageous Scientists Award was initiated by Austrian architectural historian, Dr Norbert Mayr, to recognise individuals whose work connects scientific knowledge with environmental protection and social justice.
Mayr said the award was established to make visible and support courageous action for nature and the environment amid growing ecological challenges.
“People around the world defy ruthless environmental destruction, even under the most adverse conditions. Their commitment, endurance, and courage make them indispensable role models,” he said.
A member of the award’s jury and former Director of the Austrian Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics, Dr Michael Staudinger, said the selection process considered the ability of the honourees to connect scientific findings with local and indigenous knowledge.
He said the experiences of the award recipients demonstrated how sustained action and strong local and international partnerships could contribute to meaningful change.
Other recipients included the late Honduran environmental activist, Berta Cáceres, who was recognised posthumously for her resistance to the Agua Zarca dam project and her campaign to protect the indigenous Lenca people.
Cáceres was assassinated in 2016. Investigations into her killing led to the conviction of seven co-conspirators, while the chief executive of the company behind the dam project was sentenced in 2022 for his role in the plot, according to the award organisers.
The other honourees were Ana Laide Soares Barbosa of Brazil, Akino Miyagi of Japan, Dr Malik Oedin of New Caledonia, and Seble Samuel of Ethiopia.
Their work covers the protection of indigenous territories and river ecosystems, environmental awareness, biodiversity conservation, community-led urban transformation and climate justice advocacy.
The Courageous Scientists Award for Environmental and Climate Justice has been presented annually since 2025 and is funded by the Forum for Eco-Social Transformations in Vienna under Mayr’s leadership.
The award carries a €5,000 endowment for each laureate and seeks to recognise scientists and socially engaged individuals working to protect the climate and the environment despite significant challenges.
The recognition places renewed international attention on Bassey’s longstanding environmental advocacy in the Niger Delta, a region that has endured decades of oil-related pollution and disputes over environmental protection and accountability.
