Lithuanian environmentalist Lina Paškevičiūtė awarded Valdas Adamkus prize

The 2026 Valdas Adamkus Environmental Award has been granted to environmental activist Lina Paškevičiūtė, Vytautas Magnus University (VDU) announced on Monday.

Paškevičiūtė was recognised for her leadership in mobilising civil society, her active advocacy for environmental public interests, and her efforts to shift Lithuania’s forest policy toward sustainability. She is a co-founder of the Girių spiečius (Forest Crowd) movement and heads the Aplinkosaugos koalicija (Environmental Coalition), a non-governmental organisation.

The award committee highlighted her long-term dedication to environmental protection and her significant role in shaping public debate on forest management. “The Valdas Adamkus Environmental Award is a deeply meaningful and unexpected honour for me,” Paškevičiūtė said in a statement. “It comes at a critical moment as the Forest Law is under parliamentary review. This recognition is not just for me, but for the entire Environmental Coalition, the Forest Crowd, and all allies working for nature and a healthy environment.”

She emphasised that nature cannot represent itself in institutions, so activists must serve as its legal voice—a responsibility vital for both human well-being and ecosystems. “President Valdas Adamkus’s environmental work has always inspired me, proving that persistent efforts can achieve miracles, like restoring ecosystems,” she added.

The formal award ceremony will take place on June 5, marking International Environmental Protection Day, at VDU’s Botanical Garden. Paškevičiūtė will receive a €5,000 prize and a sculpture by artist Kęstutis Dovydaitis.

This is not her first recognition: in 2023, she won the “Act of the Year” award at the Atliekų kultūros (Waste Culture) ceremony, and in 2024, she was a special mention by the Valdas Adamkus Award committee. This year’s shortlist also included botanist Mindaugas Lapelė, photographer Marius Čepulis, circular textile economy expert Viktorija Nausėdė, and Lithuanian Cyclists’ Community chairman Paulius Bakutis.

The Valdas Adamkus Prize, revived in 2021 after a 16-year hiatus, follows the UN’s Champions of the Earth format. It was originally established by Adamkus in 1992 to promote environmental protection in Lithuania. The award is organised by the Valdas Adamkus Library-Museum and the Dana Gedvilienė Fund, named after Adamkus’s late wife, a passionate environmental advocate. The fund is administered by the US-based Lithuanian Foundation.

Before his presidency, Adamkus led the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes region office for 17 years, where he spent 26 years total.