Join us
Orange welcome sign that reads Royal Geographical Society with IBG.

Become a member and discover where geography can take you.

Join us
A collection of insects found in an unitended opening in a lamp placed out on a white background as seen from above.

Earth Photo 2022

View the winners of the 2022 Earth Photo competition.

Overall winner

The winner of the 2022 Earth Photo competition is Mohammad Rakibul Hasan for his pair of images The Last Savings at Bengal Delta and The Climate Crisis.

Based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the photographer and artist documents the devastating effects of climate change, rising sea levels and extreme weather conditions on his home country and on people’s lives.

Two local residents standing in the salty waters of the Bay of Bengal delta.
© Mohammed Rakibul Hasan

The Last Savings at Bengal Delta portrays Fatema Khatun and her husband, Ruhul Amin Seikh who are, in the photographer’s words, “surviving against all odds on the coast of the Bay of Bengal”.

While Ruhul Amin goes fishing, his wife Fatema waits for him by the river, where the water is saltier than ever. When he returns hours later, it is with a small number of fish, which the couple can hardly sell for 80 taka (1USD).

The Climate Crisis focuses on a family who lost their home and crops to river erosion, leaving nothing but memories behind. “Their land is gone in the river, and their survival depends on their work for a living” explains Mohammad. The already vulnerable family of 21 has also recently been hit hard by the pandemic.

Mohammad says: “Global warming has a more severe impact on certain countries than others because of the way it affects the world climate. Bangladesh, the largest delta of the world, is an obvious victim of global warming.”

Visit Mohammad's website

The 2022 category winners

  • People category - Mohammad Rakibul Hasan
  • Place category - Daniel Franc
  • Nature category - Pal Hermansen
  • Video category - Rosa Rodriguez
  • Changing Forests category - David Rippin
  • A Climate of Change category - Sandra Weller
A lush forest behind a collection of broken trees that have snapped at the trunk.
© David Rippen
  • A lush forest behind a collection of broken trees that have snapped at the trunk.
  • The rolling hills of the agricultural counties in South Moravia, Czechia.
  • A local resident of the Nymanarr village in The Gambia posing in front of a fridge while holding a baby.

Previous competitions

To view all winning and shortlisted entries from previous competitions, visit the Earth Photo archive.