Today’s society is scarily facing multiple environmental issues like climate change, pollution and habitat destruction, but the Earthshot Prize offers a bold approach to tackling these various issues.
Yes, instead of fanfare and vague promises, the Earthshot Prize is purely focused on finding solutions that could make a real impact and then funding them.
Learn more below…
What is the Earthshot Prize?
The Earthshot Prize is one of the world’s most prestigious environmental awards.
Made up of five categories or ‘Earthshots’, The Earthshot Prize is awarded to five individuals and/or organisations who come up with innovative solutions to some of today’s most pressing environmental issues: protecting and restoring nature, improving air quality, reviving oceans, reducing waste, and combating climate change.
Who is the founder of the Earthshot Prize?
The prestigious award was founded by Prince William.
The Prince of Wales launched it in 2020 as part of his commitment to environmental advocacy and global sustainability, and to inspire hope and action toward saving the planet.
How much is the Earthshot Prize worth?
Each category winner is awarded £1 million (roughly AU$1.9 million).
A total of five awards are distributed each year, amounting to £5 million total in prize money.
This significant financial award is intended to help scale up the winners’ projects and bring their solutions to a larger audience, ultimately accelerating positive change in environmental conservation and sustainability.
Who judges the award?
The Council, led by Chair Christiana Figueres, selects the winners each year.
Members of the council include Prince William, Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, Cate Blanchett, Sir David Attenborough, Ernest Gibson, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Indra Nooyi, Luisa Neubauer, Naoko Yamazaki, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Stella McCartney, José Andrés, Wanjira Mathai, and Nemonte Nenquimo.
What does Earthshot mean?
The term “Earthshot” is inspired by the “moonshot” initiatives of the 1960s, which were bold and ambitious attempts to achieve what once seemed impossible — landing a person on the moon.
“Earthshot” refers to similarly ambitious efforts, but with a focus on addressing urgent environmental crises.
