Global Choices is proud to celebrate a remarkable honor for one of our own. Saanya Jain, a Global Choices Arctic Angel and international Polar Youth Ambassador, has been named an official longlisted and shortlisted candidate for the 2026 Shackleton Medal for the Protection of the Polar Regions — one of the most prestigious recognitions in the world for those working to safeguard the Arctic, the Antarctic, and the frozen places in between.
Now in its fifth year, the Shackleton Medal honors individuals whose courage, commitment, and impact carry forward the legacy of Sir Ernest Shackleton in service of the polar regions. The 2026 cycle drew 62 nominations spanning 19 countries — from Colombia to South Korea to India — reflecting just how global, and how urgent, the fight to protect the poles has become. From that international field, a longlist of 28 candidates representing 16 nations was selected, and Saanya’s inclusion, followed by her advancement to the shortlist, places her among an extraordinary company of scientists, explorers, political leaders, filmmakers, Indigenous advocates, and conservationists.
Recognition in Distinguished Company
To appreciate the significance of this honor, consider the caliber of this year’s candidates. The 2026 longlist includes Mette Frederiksen, the Prime Minister of Denmark, recognized for her principled defense of Greenland’s sovereignty on the world stage. It features renowned Antarctic champion Robert Swan, the first person to walk to both poles; Marcela Fernández, the Colombian glacier advocate often compared to Greta Thunberg; and Sara Olsvig, International Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, whose leadership insists that Indigenous knowledge belongs at the heart of Arctic policy.
Among the nominees is also someone very close to the Global Choices family: Dr. Sylvia Earle, the pioneering oceanographer, marine biologist, and lifelong voice for the living ocean, who serves as a patron of Global Choices. Dr. Earle’s presence on the same longlist as Saanya is a moment of beautiful symmetry for our organization — a legendary elder of ocean advocacy and a rising young polar leader, recognized side by side for their dedication to the planet’s most vulnerable regions. It speaks to the intergenerational model at the core of everything Global Choices does: experienced champions and emerging voices working together, because the ice cannot wait for any single generation to act alone.
A Voice for Youth, A Force for the Poles
Saanya Jain’s recognition comes in her capacity as an international Polar Youth Ambassador, and as one of two candidates representing India on this year’s longlist. Her nomination reflects the growing understanding that protecting the polar regions is not solely the work of glaciologists and expedition leaders — it is equally the work of communicators, organizers, and advocates who can move hearts, shift policy conversations, and mobilize the generation that will inherit the consequences of today’s decisions.
As an Arctic Angel with Global Choices, Saanya has embodied that mission. The Arctic Angels network — our global, intergenerational movement of young women and youth leaders — exists to bring fresh urgency and moral clarity to Arctic protection, including our flagship campaign to safeguard the Central Arctic Ocean. Saanya’s advocacy has helped carry that message into international forums and youth networks around the world, demonstrating the diplomatic skill and persistence that polar protection demands. Her journey from youth advocate to shortlisted Shackleton Medal candidate shows what is possible when young people are given genuine seats at the table rather than symbolic ones.
The medal’s selection process itself underscores the weight of this achievement. Following the longlist announcement, the judging panel convened at the Royal Geographical Society in London to determine the shortlist — the narrowed field of candidates from which the 2026 medalist is chosen. Saanya’s advancement through that rigorous review, in a year the organizers themselves described as one where polar issues are making front-page news and the urgency of protection is greater than ever, is a testament to the substance of her work.
Why This Matters Now
The polar regions are ground zero for the planetary crisis. The Arctic is warming several times faster than the global average, and the decisions made in this decade — about shipping, extraction, governance, and conservation — will echo for centuries. Recognition like the Shackleton Medal matters because it shines a light on the people doing the hard, often unglamorous work of defense: in laboratories, in negotiating rooms, on the ice, and increasingly, in classrooms and youth assemblies.
At Global Choices, we believe the ice is worth fighting for, and we believe young people are among its fiercest and most effective defenders. Saanya Jain’s recognition proves both points at once.
To Saanya: congratulations from all of us at Global Choices. And to Dr. Sylvia Earle and every candidate on this year’s list — thank you for standing up for the poles. The ice has no voice of its own. It is fortunate, this year especially, to have yours.
