Dr Hannah Ritchie has won the £10,000 Unwin Award for her data-led climate research, proving her status as a vital and optimistic voice in the modern British non-fiction landscape
Dr Hannah Ritchie has been crowned the winner of the prestigious Unwin Award, securing her place as one of the most influential voices in modern British non-fiction.
In an era often defined by environmental pessimism, the triumph of the senior researcher and data scientist marks a significant moment for the literary landscape.
Announced at a prestigious ceremony at the Royal Institution in London, Ritchie was named the recipient of the £10,000 prize, an accolade established just last year to celebrate writers who have made a profound impact on global discourse.
Administered by the Publishers Association and funded by the Unwin Charitable Trust, the award serves as a powerful reminder of the enduring capacity of the written word to reshape public understanding of our most pressing issues.
READ MORE: All British book prize shortlist features a novel that is ‘impossible to forget’READ MORE: Best paperbacks to read now including a ‘cult phenomenon’ everybody is reading
Ritchie, who serves as the Deputy Editor at Our World in Data and holds a position at the University of Oxford, was recognised for a body of work that includes her landmark 2024 publication, Not The End of the World, and her follow-up, Clearing the Air.
The judging panel, chaired by the esteemed broadcaster Claudia Hammond, lauded Ritchie’s ability to marshal complex scientific data into a narrative that is as accessible as it is intellectually rigorous.
In a field frequently crowded with apocalyptic rhetoric, the panel noted that Ritchie’s optimistic, evidence-based approach provides a necessary counter-narrative, proving that tangible progress is being made in the fight against climate change.
Want to hear the latest books news and reviews from The Mirror’s resident bookworm? Follow Aimée Walsh on Tiktok and Instagram
Accepting the award, Ritchie said: “I’m surprised, but also extremely honoured to have been given the Unwin Award, especially when shortlisted alongside such amazing talent.
“I’m not someone who writes purely for the love of words (I’m more of a data nerd at heart); I write to communicate ideas that hopefully move the world in a positive direction. To win the Unwin Award, focused on that specific contribution, really means a lot.”
Claudia Hammond, Chair of The Unwin Award 2026 Judging Panel, commented: “Hannah’s books are hugely impressive. I learned so much that I didn’t know. If we put all her research into practice her books can make a difference to the planet, but also to our personal well-being in the meantime.
“Hannah’s meticulous marshalling of the evidence shows that there has been more progress than we might think and that there is hope. And hope is something we all need at the moment.
“Judging this award has been like being a member of the best book club. Do read all the books on the shortlist and congratulations to everyone on it.”
The evening also featured the annual Unwin Award Lecture, delivered by the inaugural winner and feminist campaigner Caroline Criado Perez. Her presence served to underline the award’s mission to champion authors in the earlier stages of their careers whose work transcends the page to influence societal structures.
Ritchie was selected from a formidable shortlist featuring Keon West’s The Science of Racism and Hannah Barnes’s Time to Think, alongside Carrie Gracie’s Equal, which explores the gender pay gap. The selection was rounded out by Dr Frances Ryan’s impactful titles Who Wants Normal?, as well as Sarah Wynn-Williams’s award-winning corporate memoir Careless People.
Love reading? Join Dr. Aimée Walsh and our community of fellow readers in the Mirror Book Club to dive deeper into the books everyone is talking about.