Powerful images capture the fragility and resilience of our planet

Ami Vitale - Pandamonium A panda keeper does a health check on the cub of giant panda Xi Mei at the Wolong Nature Reserve managed by the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Sichuan province, China October 31, 2015. (Photo by Ami Vitale) — A panda keeper does a health check on the cub of giant panda Xi Mei at the Wolong Nature Reserve

Ami Vitale

Earth Photo 2025 competition shortlist showcases images that reveal inspiring and unexpected stories about the climate and life on our planet.

In the image titled Pandamonium by Ami Vitale, a giant panda keeper is seen performing a health check on a panda cub in the Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan province, China. The keeper’s attire is designed to minimize human impact on the bears. Another captivating photo is Sue Flood’s Crabeater Seals, captured on an ice floe in the Southern Ocean, near the Antarctic Peninsula, showcasing the region’s unique beauty.

Sue Flood - Crabeater Seals Southern Ocean, Antarctic peninsula Quite simply, the polar regions are among the most awe-inspiring and extraordinary wildernesses on our planet. For almost thirty years, I have been privileged to explore both the Arctic and Antarctic, and I am forever humbled by their scale, and their remarkable inhabitants?wildlife perfectly adapted to these seemingly inhospitable environments. As Sir David Attenborough once said: "No one will protect what they don?t care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced." Photography, like storytelling, is a way of bringing the beauty and wonder of the polar regions to those who may never set foot there. By sharing the beauty, the resilience, and the vulnerability of these extraordinary places, we can inspire people to act. The polar regions are not just distant wildernesses; they are a vital part of our planet?s delicate balance. They remind us our shared responsibility to protect it. I was working in the Antarctic peninsula when I spotted this breathtaking scene of three crabeater seals, lying on an ice floe. The shapes of the mountains and floe, combined with the reflections and dramatic, grey skies made for a dramatic image. Crabeaters are the most numerous seal in the Antarctic. — Crabeater Seals Southern Ocean, Antarctic peninsula

Sue Flood

Paradise to Ashes, La Palma by Jonathan Browning depicts the aftermath of the 2021 Cumbre Vieja volcanic eruption on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands, Spain. The photo shows a woman rebuilding her garden after lava destroyed mature palm trees, symbolizing resilience in the face of natural disasters.

Jonathan Browning, La Palma Series Canu Martin-Mur, (67) from Spain. She had to remove some lava that broke her garden walls and destroyed mature palm trees. She has since replaced tha wall and laid down an artificial lawn and planted new palms and plants to regrow again. La Palma. An island of the Canaries. Two years after the Cumbre Vieja volcanic eruption in late 2021. Photography taken on January 2024. — La Palma. An island of the Canaries. Two years after the Cumbre Vieja volcanic eruption in late 2021

Jonathan Browning

The final image, Lost Oases by Vincenzo Montefinese, captures Salim El Kabir adjusting a solar panel that powers a water pump for irrigating palm groves in Tinzouline, Draa valley, Morocco. The photo highlights the impact of climate change and water scarcity on the region’s oases, emphasizing the need for sustainable water management practices.

Vincenzo Montefinese - Lost Oases Tinzouline, Draa Valley, Morocco, October 2, 2023. Salim El Kabir, 42 years old, adjusts the solar panel that powers the pump for extracting water from the well used for irrigating the date palm groves near the Draa River. The increasing drought has driven farmers in the Draa River basin to dig more wells, often illegally, to access groundwater. — Tinzouline, Draa valley, Morocco

Vincenzo Montefinese

The photos on the Earth Photo 2025 shortlist offer a glimpse into the diverse and interconnected relationship between humans, nature, and the environment. The exhibition will be on display at London’s Royal Geographical Society, starting from 17 June and touring the UK thereafter.

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Powerful images capture the fragility and resilience of our planet

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