Competition Rules

CH₄rt 2026 | Official Competition Rules

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Organiser: Stichting Environmental Defense Fund International, having its registered address at Joop Geesinkweg 501, 1114 AB Amsterdam-Duivendrecht, the Netherlands, and registered with the Trade Registry of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce under number 72607440 ("Environmental Defense Fund Europe").

Contact: Tamsin Weatherly (tweatherly@edf.org)

Article 1: The Competition

  1. CH₄rt 2026 is a creative competition organised by Environmental Defense Fund Europe inviting young people aged 18 to 30 across the European Union to submit original 2D artworks responding to the brief: Make methane visible.
  2. The competition forms part of Environmental Defense Fund Europe's Time for CH₄nge campaign, which aims to accelerate action on methane emissions in Europe.
  3. Participation in the competition is free of charge. No purchase or payment of any kind is required to enter.
  4. These Official Competition Rules ("the Rules") govern all aspects of the competition. By submitting an entry, entrants agree to be bound by these Rules in their entirety.
  5. These Rules are published in English. In the event of any conflict or ambiguity, the English language version shall prevail.

Article 2: Eligibility

  1. The competition is open to individuals who, at the time of submission:
    • are aged 18 to 30 years (inclusive);
    • are a citizen of a European Union member state; and
    • are the sole and original author of the submitted work.
  2. The following individuals are not eligible to participate:
    • Employees, officers, or directors of Environmental Defense Fund Europe or Fourtold Belgium SRL ("Fourtold"), or members of their immediate families or households;
    • Members of the jury;
    • Any individual directly involved in the organisation, promotion, or administration of the competition;
    • Any individual acting as agent for or on behalf of an ineligible person.
  3. Environmental Defense Fund Europe reserves the right to verify the eligibility of any entrant at any stage of the competition and to disqualify any entry that does not comply with these Rules.
  4. By submitting an entry, entrants confirm that they meet all eligibility requirements. Any misrepresentation of eligibility will result in immediate disqualification and, where a prize has been awarded, the return of that prize.

Article 3: Entry Period

  1. The competition opens for entries at 09:00 CET on 22 April 2026 ("the Opening Date").
  2. The competition closes for entries at 23:59 CET on 14 June 2026 ("the Closing Date"). Entries received after this time and date will not be considered under any circumstances.
  3. Environmental Defense Fund Europe reserves the right to extend or shorten the entry period by giving reasonable notice through the competition's official channels. Any such change will not affect entries already received.
  4. Environmental Defense Fund Europe accepts no responsibility for entries that are lost, delayed, or corrupted in transit. Proof of submission is not proof of receipt.

Article 4: How to Enter

  1. To enter the competition, entrants must:
    • complete the entry form on this website;
    • upload a digital file of their artwork meeting the technical requirements set out in Article 5; and
    • confirm acceptance of these Rules and the Privacy Notice set out in Article 11.
  2. Only one entry per entrant is permitted. Multiple entries from the same individual will result in all entries from that individual being disqualified.
  3. Entries submitted by agents, third parties, or automated means are not permitted.
  4. Environmental Defense Fund Europe reserves the right to reject any entry that does not comply with these Rules without notice.

Article 5: Entry Requirements

  1. Entries must meet all of the following requirements:
    • The work must be an original 2D artwork created by the entrant in response to the brief: Make methane visible.
    • The work must be in any 2D medium including but not limited to illustration, painting, photography, digital art, collage, or printmaking.
    • The work must be submitted as a digital file in JPEG, PNG, TIFF, or EPS format, at a minimum resolution of 3000px on the shortest side or 300dpi (recommended).
    • The work must not have been previously published commercially, exhibited publicly, or submitted to another competition.
    • The work must be the sole and original creation of the entrant.
    • The work must not contain content that is offensive, defamatory, discriminatory, or otherwise unlawful.
  2. The use of artificial intelligence ("AI") tools is permitted during the creative process; provided, however, that any entrant who utilises such tools shall be required to disclose, at the time of submission, the nature and extent of such use.
    • For the avoidance of doubt, any submitted work that has been generated in its entirety by AI shall be deemed ineligible and Environmental Defense Fund Europe reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any entry found to be in breach of this requirement.
    • Each entrant acknowledges and agrees that they shall bear sole and exclusive responsibility for any and all claims, liabilities, damages, or disputes arising out of or in connection with the improper use of AI tools, including but not limited to any infringement of intellectual property rights or any other applicable legal obligations.
  3. Entries that do not meet these requirements will be disqualified without notice.

Article 6: Judging

  1. Entries will be assessed by an independent jury appointed by Environmental Defense Fund Europe ("the Jury"). The composition of the Jury will be published on the competition landing page prior to the Opening Date.
  2. The judging process takes place in two stages:
    • Stage 1 - Pre-shortlisting: Following the Closing Date, Environmental Defense Fund Europe and Fourtold will conduct an initial review of all eligible entries to produce a pre-shortlist of works meeting a minimum quality threshold.
    • Stage 2 - Jury review and deliberation: Pre-shortlisted entries will be assessed by the Jury against the judging criteria set out in Article 6.3. The Jury will convene to agree on the shortlist, finalists, overall winner, and runners-up.
  3. Entries will be assessed against the following criteria:
    CriterionDescriptionWeight
    Artistic qualityTechnical execution, craft, and visual impact25%
    Conceptual strengthHow effectively the work engages with the brief25%
    Communicative powerAbility to reach and resonate with a non-specialist audience25%
    OriginalityFreshness and distinctiveness of approach25%
  4. The decision of the Jury is final and binding. No correspondence will be entered into regarding the outcome of the judging process.
  5. Any Jury member who has a direct or indirect interest in, or relationship with, an entrant must declare that conflict to Environmental Defense Fund Europe immediately and will abstain from assessing the relevant entry.
  6. Results will remain strictly confidential until the date of the official public announcement.

Article 7: Prizes

  1. The competition will award prizes as follows: one overall winner, one MEP Prize winner, and two runners-up.
  2. The overall winner will be selected by the Jury and will receive:
    • A cash prize of €1,000 (gross, before any applicable taxes or deductions);
    • Exhibition of their winning artwork at the CH₄rt 2026 exhibition and prizegiving in Brussels in September 2026, and at any other venues confirmed by Environmental Defense Fund Europe;
    • Publication of their winning artwork across Environmental Defense Fund Europe's digital and communications channels with full artist credit.
  3. The MEP Prize winner will be selected by a participating Member of the European Parliament and will receive:
    • A cash prize of €1,000 (gross, before any applicable taxes or deductions);
    • Exhibition of their artwork at the CH₄rt 2026 exhibition and prizegiving in Brussels in September 2026, and at any other venues confirmed by Environmental Defense Fund Europe;
    • Publication of their artwork across Environmental Defense Fund Europe's digital and communications channels with full artist credit.
  4. Two runners-up will be selected by the Jury. Each runner-up will receive:
    • A cash prize of €500 (gross, before any applicable taxes or deductions);
    • Exhibition of their artwork at the CH₄rt 2026 exhibition venues, subject to confirmation;
    • Publication of their artwork across Environmental Defense Fund Europe's digital and communications channels with full artist credit.
  5. The total cash prize fund is €3,000 (€1,000 overall winner + €1,000 MEP Prize winner + €500 for each of the two runners-up).
  6. Prizes are non-transferable and non-exchangeable. No cash alternative is available for non-monetary prizes.
  7. Environmental Defense Fund Europe reserves the right to substitute a prize of equivalent or greater value where the stated prize becomes unavailable for reasons beyond Environmental Defense Fund Europe's control.
  8. The overall winner, MEP Prize winner, and runners-up are responsible for any income tax, withholding tax, or other fiscal obligations arising from receipt of the cash prize in their country of residence. Environmental Defense Fund Europe accepts no liability for any tax liability incurred by the overall winner, MEP Prize winner, or runners-up.
  9. The cash prize will be paid to the overall winner, MEP Prize winner, and runners-up by bank transfer within 45 days of the individual's details being verified and confirmed in writing.
  10. The following jurisdiction-specific notes apply to entrants resident in the named countries:
    • Italy: The CH₄rt Competition is an artistic contest awarding a prize for the production of an original creative work. Environmental Defense Fund Europe's position is that the competition qualifies for the exemption from Presidential Decree 430/2001 (DPR 430/2001) available to artistic, literary, and scientific contests whose purpose is the production of creative or intellectual works. In addition, if Environmental Defense Fund Europe is established in an EU member state other than Italy, it may apply its local laws rather than DPR 430/2001. If neither exemption applies, Environmental Defense Fund Europe will take the steps necessary to comply with DPR 430/2001 before the competition is promoted in Italy, which may include filing with the Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT) via the PREMA system at least 15 days before the Opening Date.
    • Spain: CH₄rt is a skill-based competition judged by an independent panel. It is not subject to Spanish gambling tax (Impuesto sobre actividades de juego), which applies to state lottery and betting products and not to skill-based art competitions. The cash prize is treated as a capital gain under Spanish personal income tax law and must be declared by the winner in their annual tax return. Environmental Defense Fund Europe has no withholding obligation in Spain for this type of competition at this prize value.
    • Germany: CH₄rt is a skill-based competition and falls outside the scope of the German Interstate Treaty on Gambling (Glücksspielstaatsvertrag). The German Act against Unfair Competition (UWG) applies and its transparency requirements are satisfied by these Rules. No registration, filing, or notarial presence is required.

Article 8: Intellectual Property & Rights

  1. Entrants retain full copyright and moral rights in their submitted works at all times.
  2. By submitting an entry, each entrant grants Environmental Defense Fund Europe a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to reproduce, publish, display, and communicate their submitted work for the purposes of promoting the competition, exhibiting the work, and publishing it on Environmental Defense Fund Europe's channels with full artist credit.
  3. The non-exclusive licence granted in Article 8.2 in respect of non-winning shortlisted entries shall expire on the earlier of: (a) three years from the date of the public announcement of the shortlist; or (b) the conclusion of the Time for CH₄nge campaign. Following expiry, Environmental Defense Fund Europe will remove shortlisted works from its active digital channels upon written request from the entrant.
  4. The overall winner, MEP Prize winner, and runners-up grant Environmental Defense Fund Europe an additional non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to use their submitted artwork across Environmental Defense Fund Europe's communications and advocacy materials, which licence shall expire on the earlier of: (a) three years from the date of the public announcement of the shortlist; or (b) the conclusion of the Time for CH₄nge campaign. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this licence is subject to renewal by mutual written agreement.
  5. Environmental Defense Fund Europe will always credit the artist by name when publishing or displaying their work in primary campaign contexts.
  6. Entrants warrant that their submitted work is wholly original, does not infringe the intellectual property rights of any third party, and does not include any unlicensed third-party material. Entrants assume full legal responsibility for any third-party claims arising from their submission, including in relation to any AI-generated elements.
  7. Environmental Defense Fund Europe reserves the right to disqualify any entry and pursue appropriate remedies where a breach of this Article is identified.

Article 9: Announcement & Winner Notification

  1. The shortlist and finalists will be announced publicly in June 2026. The exact date will be published on the competition landing page.
  2. The overall winner, MEP Prize winner, and runners-up will be announced publicly at a prizegiving ceremony in Brussels in September 2026.
  3. The overall winner, MEP Prize winner, runners-up, and shortlisted finalists will be notified by email prior to the public announcement. If the overall winner, MEP Prize winner, or runners-up cannot be contacted within 14 days of the first notification attempt, Environmental Defense Fund Europe reserves the right to select an alternative overall winner, MEP Prize winner, or runner-up, as appropriate, from the remaining finalists.
  4. The overall winner, MEP Prize winner, and runners-up may be required to provide proof of identity and eligibility before the prize is awarded.
  5. Environmental Defense Fund Europe reserves the right to publish the overall winner's, MEP Prize winner's, and each runner-up's name, country of residence, and winning artwork across its communications channels. By entering, entrants consent to such publication.

Article 10: Disqualification & Cancellation

  1. Environmental Defense Fund Europe reserves the right to disqualify any entry and/or entrant where:
    • the entry does not comply with these Rules;
    • the entrant has misrepresented their identity, age, or eligibility;
    • the entry contains content that is offensive, defamatory, discriminatory, or unlawful;
    • the entry infringes the intellectual property rights of any third party;
    • the entrant has engaged in fraudulent, dishonest, or unsportsmanlike conduct; or
    • the entrant has attempted to manipulate the competition process in any way.
  2. Environmental Defense Fund Europe reserves the right to cancel, suspend, or modify the competition at any time if circumstances beyond its reasonable control make this necessary, including technical failures, force majeure events, or circumstances that compromise the integrity of the competition.
  3. Where a disqualified entrant has already received a prize, Environmental Defense Fund Europe reserves the right to require its return.

Article 11: Data Protection & Privacy

  1. Fourtold is the data controller for the purposes of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 ("GDPR") in relation to personal data collected and processed in connection with this competition.
  2. Fourtold will collect and process the following personal data from entrants: full name; age and date of birth; country of residence; email address; submitted artwork; and any additional information voluntarily provided in the entry form.
  3. Personal data will be processed for the following purposes and on the following legal bases:
    PurposeLegal basis (GDPR Art. 6)Retention
    Administering and judging the competitionArt. 6(1)(b) - Performance of a contractDuration of competition + 6 months
    Publishing overall winner, MEP Prize winner, runners-up and shortlist names and artworksArt. 6(1)(a) - Consent (given at entry)Duration of Time for CH₄nge campaign
    Compliance with legal obligationsArt. 6(1)(c) - Legal obligationAs required by applicable law
  4. Fourtold will not use personal data collected in connection with the competition for marketing purposes without obtaining separate, explicit, and freely given consent from the entrant. Consent to receive marketing communications is entirely optional and is not a condition of entry.
  5. Fourtold will not sell, rent, or share personal data with third parties for their own marketing purposes.
  6. Fourtold will share personal data with Environmental Defense Fund Europe, acting as data processor on behalf of Fourtold under a Data Processing Agreement, for the purpose of helping to administer and promote the competition.
  7. Entrants have the following rights in relation to their personal data: the right of access; the right to rectification; the right to erasure; the right to restriction of processing; the right to data portability; the right to object; and the right to revoke a given consent. To exercise any of these rights, entrants should contact Fourtold at matthew.willis@fourtold.eu.
  8. Entrants have the right to lodge a complaint with their national data protection supervisory authority if they believe their personal data has been processed unlawfully.
  9. Fourtold's full privacy policy is available at fourtold.eu/privacy-policy.

Article 12: Limitation of Liability

  1. Environmental Defense Fund Europe shall not be liable for any loss, damage, or injury suffered by an entrant in connection with their participation in the competition, except where such liability cannot be excluded by law.
  2. Environmental Defense Fund Europe shall not be liable for any technical failures, delays, or errors in the submission process, including server outages, internet connectivity issues, or data corruption.
  3. Nothing in these Rules shall limit or exclude Environmental Defense Fund Europe's liability for death or personal injury caused by gross negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by applicable law.

Article 13: General

  1. These Rules are governed by the laws of the Netherlands. Any dispute arising from or in connection with the competition shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Netherlands.
  2. If any provision of these Rules is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, that provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
  3. Environmental Defense Fund Europe reserves the right to amend these Rules at any time where necessary to comply with applicable law or to protect the integrity of the competition. Any material changes will be communicated through the competition's official channels.
  4. These Rules constitute the entire agreement between Environmental Defense Fund Europe and entrants in relation to the competition and supersede any prior communications or representations.
  5. The competition is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with, any social media platform including Instagram or LinkedIn. Any questions or complaints should be directed to Environmental Defense Fund Europe at europe@edf.org and not to any social media platform.

See also our Privacy Notice and Terms & Conditions.