Meet Borim Kim — 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize Winner

In 2018, a record-breaking heat wave killed 48 people in Seoul, including a woman in Borim Kim’s own neighborhood, inside her own home. That was the moment Borim realized individual choices weren’t enough to keep people safe from climate change.

So she took it to court. In 2020, she and Youth 4 Climate Action organized 19 young plaintiffs to sue the South Korean government over weak emissions targets. In 2024, they won, Asia’s first successful youth-led climate ruling, forcing the government to set binding emissions targets through 2049.

“Youth may be seen as having a lower position in society, but now this decision has affirmed our right to live safely and the state’s duty to protect us.”

Challenging the “Savior” Narrative
Borim isn’t a hero swooping in, she’s one of the people the heat wave nearly killed. Her fight started as self-preservation, then became a movement for everyone left unprotected.

Challenging Economic Logic
Governments often treat climate targets as negotiable, something to weigh against growth. Borim’s answer: safety isn’t a bargaining chip, it’s a constitutional right, and courts can say so.

Challenging Ignorance
Most people think of climate change as outdoor danger — storms, floods, fires. Borim’s story is a reminder: it can find you inside your own home, and no one is fully insulated from it.