Canadian Arctic photos win New Scientist Editors Award

Natalya Saprunova, a photographer and environmental advocate based in the Canadian Arctic, has been awarded the New Scientist Editors Award at the Earth Photo 2026 competition for her compelling photo series documenting coastal erosion and permafrost thaw across Inuvialuit territories. The series, which captures the dramatic changes to shoreline landscapes and the thawing of ancient permafrost, offers a visual record of the impacts of climate change on one of the world’s most vulnerable regions.

The Earth Photo competition, organized by the Royal Geographical Society and the National Geographic Society, invites photographers worldwide to submit images that illustrate the planet’s environmental challenges. Saprunova’s work stood out for its scientific clarity and artistic composition, providing evidence of accelerated shoreline retreat and the destabilization of permafrost that threatens local communities, wildlife, and infrastructure. The New Scientist Editors Award recognizes the most striking images that combine aesthetic quality with strong environmental messaging.

By receiving this award, Saprunova’s images will gain wider exposure, supporting efforts to raise public awareness and inform policy discussions about Arctic resilience. The recognition underscores the importance of visual storytelling in conveying the urgency of climate impacts on indigenous lands and the broader global environment.