The Environmental Music Prize is a prize launched in partnership with Green Music Australia. It aims to celebrate and amplify powerful music videos that inspire action for climate and conservation. It was launched during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in November 2021 and is a call-to-action for artists to use their voice both on and off stage. The Environmental Music Prize was launched as a quest to find a theme song to inspire action on climate and conservation.
To be eligible for the inaugural prize, Australian citizens and residents could apply between November 2021 and February 2022) if they had released an original work in the last 5 years that 1) referenced nature or an environmental issue in its lyrics, or in the visual content of its music video and 2) inspires us to protect the environment with a message of hope or a call-to-action, or highlights the urgency of action.
Between February and April 2022, a shortlisting committee composed of music ambassadors, environmental leaders and impact partners selected the 24 finalists. Public Voting commenced on Earth Day, 22 April 2022 and closed on 22 May 2022.
In June 2022, King Gizzard were announced as winners and donated the $20,000 prize money to The Wilderness Society.
In January 2023, entries were open to Australian citizens and residents who had released an original song and music video between 1 January 2020 and 28 Feb 2023.
The submitted works must: ⢠Reference nature or an environmental issue in its lyrics, or in the visual content of its music video. ⢠Connect us to the natural world, encourage us to reflect, or inspire us to protect the environment. ⢠Be submitted as a music video on Youtube that is publicly available to watch and share.
Finalists were announced on 22 April 2023 (Earth Day), with public voting to open shortly after that. The winner was announced on 13 June 2023.
In 2025, thirty songs were named as finalists for the 2025 Environmental Music Prize, a $20,000 award that recognises Australian artists using music to connect audiences with nature and inspire climate action.
Finalists were announced on 12 November 2025 and voting closed on 14 December 2025. The winner was due to be announced on 17 December, but was delayed due to the 2025 Bondi Beach shooting on 14 December with a post on the Environmental Music Prize website reading "The Prize founder and CEO is part of the Bondi community. We wish to stand with all those affected at this time, and give her time to be there for her children. We will share the winner of the 2025 Prize, and other uplifting announcements, early next year."