Capturing the Beauty and Fragility of our Planet: CNN and World Nature Photography Awards Partnership

In a world where sustainability is becoming increasingly important, it’s great to see partnerships that raise awareness and educate people about key environmental issues. That’s why CNN’s Call to Earth editorial series is dedicated to reporting on the challenges facing our planet and highlighting solutions. One such partnership is with Rolex’s Perpetual Planet initiative, which aims to inspire positive action through education and awareness-raising.

Meanwhile, in the realm of photography, the World Nature Photography Awards has been promoting conservation efforts through its annual competition. This year, a striking photo of two garfish fighting for fish off Scotland’s Shetland Islands won the top prize. Tracey Lund from the UK captured this moment while on vacation using a DSLR camera in a waterproof case. Despite taking 1,800 pictures that day, she was only left with two usable ones – but it was worth it for the incredible sight of thousands of soles diving into the sea after locally caught fish.

The awards featured various categories including animal portraits, plants and fungi, and different types of animal behavior. Ivan Pedretti from Italy won the landscape and environment category for planet earth with his enchanting winter photograph in Stokksnes, Iceland, showing a black sand beach and the majestic Westrahorn mountain. Pedretti emphasized the color contrast of white mountains with black dunes and yellow grass in his painting.

Established in 2020, the World Nature Photography Awards aims to promote photography while supporting conservation efforts by planting a tree for each competition entry. By showcasing these stunning images submitted for the 2024 awards, Adrian Dinsdale expressed admiration for their high quality and potential impact on people’s perceptions of nature – encouraging them to change their habits for a more sustainable future.