Merit Prize Winner: “A Well Earned Rest in the Sahara”. This photo of Moussa Macher, our Tuareg guide, was taken at the summit of Tin-Merzouga, the largest dune (or erg) in the Tadrat region of the Sahara desert in southern Algeria. Moussa rested while waiting for us to finish our 45-minute struggle to the top. It only took ten minutes of rolling, running, and jumping to get back down. The Tadrat is part of the Tassili N'Ajjer National Park World Heritage area, famous for its red sand and engravings and rock paintings of cattle, elephants, giraffes, and rhinos that lived there when the climate was milder. Photo location: Summit of Tin-Merzouga, Tadrat, Tassili N'Ajjer National Park, Algeria. (Photo and caption by Evan Cole/National Geographic Photo Contest)

Young Japanese women pose with a green bear costumed person during the 'Earth Parade 2015' in Tokyo, Japan, Saturday, November 28, 2015. Ahead of the U.N. climate change summit in Paris starting this week, about 1,000 citizens and environmental activists took to the streets of Tokyo on Saturday, calling for strong actions to combat global warming. (Photo by Franck Robichon/EPA)

Txai Suruí, Amazonian Activist, during the opening night of Web Summit Rio 2023 at Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile for Web Summit Rio via Getty Images)

A Filipino climate activist wearing a face shield with the words “Climate Justice Now” poses showing her hand as part of global climate change protests, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines on September 25, 2020. (Photo by Eloisa Lopez/Reuters)

A woman carries a 'Climate Clock' as activists mark the start of Climate Week in New York during a demonstration calling for the U.S. government to take action on climate change and reject the use of fossil fuels in New York City, New York, U.S., September 17, 2023. (Photo by Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

People look out at the city among 30,375 square feet of mirrors at SUMMIT One Vanderbilt in New York on May 22, 2024. The Parade of Ships is seen from SUMMIT One Vanderbilt in NYC as part of the Fleet Week Celebration events. (Photo by Timothy A. Clary/AFP Photo)

Protesters begin to gather ahead of the UK Student Climate Network's Global Climate Strike at Millbank in London, England on September 20, 2019. (Photo by Gareth Fuller/PA Images via Getty Images)

Dancers from the Tareikura Academy dance on stage during The Power Of Inclusion Summit 2019 at Aotea Centre on October 03, 2019 in Auckland, New Zealand. The Power of Inclusion is a global summit where international and local voices share their stories, experiences and expertise to generate momentum for a future where representation and inclusion are the new screen industry standards. The Power of Inclusion summit is hosted by New Zealand Film Commission and Women in Film and Television International, with support from The Walt Disney Studios. (Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images for New Zealand Film Commission)