The Prix Pictet aims to harness the power of photography – all genres of photography – to draw global attention to issues of sustainability, especially those concerning the environment. Founded in 2008 by the Pictet Group, the Prix Pictet has become the world’s leading award for photography and sustainability. To date, there have been ten cycles of the award each of which has highlighted a particular facet of sustainability.
Entry to the award is strictly by nomination by a worldwide network of nominators.

The theme of the 2008 inaugural Prix Pictet was Water. It is, after all, through water that we are able to see the earliest and most devastating manifestations of climate change: threats to our food supply, to our health, to fragile ecosystems, to the ground on which we live and even to our peace and security.
Over 200 photographers from 43 countries were nominated for the first Prix Pictet, and such was the power of the work submitted that the jury decided to shortlist 18 artists. Kofi Annan, the Honorary President of the Prix Pictet, awarded the prize to the Canadian photographer Benoît Aquin at the opening of the shortlist exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo, Paris.