Every year over the past twenty years, the Veolia Foundation’s Environmental Book Award has honored two titles published in French, one for adult readers, the other for a younger audience, that explain and explore key ecological themes. The award was established in the belief that books have the power to raise awareness about the major challenges our planet faces. The award supports and promotes authors and publishers who strive to alert the general public to these critical questions.
Prize-winners are selected by a jury of writers, journalists, environmental specialists and personalities known for their commitment to the environment. Since 2024 the jury has been chaired by Bruno David, a French naturalist and former president of the National Museum of Natural History who specializes in paleontology, evolutionary sciences, and biodiversity.
The Environmental Book Award showcases books that help improve understanding of our planet and its biodiversity, and that actively encourage readers to imagine new ways to live on Earth. They include Effondrement [Collapse] by Jared Diamond, Habiter [Inhabit] by Michel Serres, Le Bug humain [The Human Bug] by Sébastien Bohler, L’enfer numérique - Voyage au bout d’un like [Digital Nightmare – Journey to the Heart of a Like] by Guillaume Pitron and Les abeilles et la vie [The Bees of Life] by Didier Van Cauwelaert.
The Environmental Book Award is determined to reflect the diversity of formats and narratives by selecting specialist works as well as books targeting a mainstream readership,” explains Bruno David. “These are works with solid scientific grounding but that are also attractive to readers who can take pleasure in them without needing any specialist knowledge about a specific domain. A good book kindles curiosity and encourages thinking by opening our eyes to the world that surrounds us.
2025: Special Readers’ Prize
This award is writing a new chapter in its history by giving the public a chance to vote as part of celebrations marking its 20th anniversary. For the first time, French readers are invited to nominate their all-time favorite from among the prize-winners of the past two decades. From September 13 to November 15, 2025, the French readers can vote online to nominate their all-time favorite. The author with the most votes will win the Special Readers’ Prize and receive a grant. And three voters will have a chance to win the prize draw for the perfect environmental library, a collection of all 20 winning books since the award was founded. The Special Readers’ Prize underlines the Veolia Foundation’s belief that books are essential to understanding environmental challenges, spreading the word, and taking action to tackle them.
The 2025 Environmental Book Award
The two winners of the 2025 award were revealed on September 13, 2025, in the French city of Nancy, as part of Le Livre Sur la Place book fair. The winners are Maxime Blondeau, author of Géoconscience (Allary Editions, published in October 2024), and Mathilda Masters, author of 321 choses incroyables à connaître sur les animaux (La Martinière jeunesse, published in September 2024).
We are living in a time of cosmographic upheaval, a revolution in humans’ graphical perceptions of the planet, regions, space, and the natural world. I believe that the roots of ecological disruptions lie in the disconnect that exists between how we represent the world and the world itself. This makes it essential, vital even, that we overcome this disconnect.
Maxime Blondeau
Note from the publisher
What if we were to take a fresh look at our world? Did you know that the planet’s highest peak is not Mount Everest but Mount Chimborazo in the Andes? Or that half the world’s population lives less than 100 kilometers from the coast? Or that the total mass of concrete and cement in the world is now greater than the mass of all living things? Or that 66 French departments are named after rivers?
Maxime Blondeau uses a series of astonishing maps and immersive photos to reveal the essential and fascinating character of the place we all call home. He takes us on a scientific and poetic journey to raise our geographical awareness, our “geoconscience”.
Maxime Blondeau began his career in human resources and digital before taking a long sabbatical to Tibet and Rome. When he returned to France he decided to teach, taking up the post of head of studies at HETIC, a leading IT and multimedia school. He founded Printemps écologique, the first federation of eco-unions, and Sailcoop, the first cooperative network for yacht travel. He strives to balance tradition and modernity, technology and ecology.
2025 CHILDREN’S BOOK COMMENDATION
I’m convinced that anyone who learns more about the animal world, its beauty and astonishing profusion, is likely to want to take better care of it. That was what guided me when I wrote my book.
Mathilda Masters
Note from the publisher
Did you know that otter mothers hold their babies’ hand when they’re sleeping? That the most dangerous animal in the world is the mosquito? That elephants are scared of bees? That spotted tree frogs glow in the dark? That snakes can smell with their tongues? That great white sharks have three thousand teeth?
This illustrated encyclopedia reveals 321 surprising facts about mammals, birds, fish, insects, amphibians, and reptiles.
Mathilda Masters is the pseudonym of Hilde Smeesters. As a journalist, she wrote general interest stories and worked on the tourism and cookery sections of various magazines. She has been writing for children since 2002. Louize Perdieus is an illustrator whose work is characterized by a generous dash of humor. She is passionate about nature and highly skilled at drawing plants and animals.
More information on the 20th Environment Award
Author podcasts in partnership with third place La REcyclerie
List of all the prize-winning books since 2006