Prince William announces 15 Finalists for inaugural year of the £50 million Earthshot Prize
17.9.2021 20:01:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
The Earthshot Prize announces today its first-ever shortlist of 15 Finalists, each with a chance of winning £1million to support their innovative environmental solutions to the greatest challenges facing the planet.
Prince William said: "Over half a century ago, President Kennedy’s ‘Moonshot’ programme united millions of people around the goal of reaching the moon. Inspired by this, The Earthshot Prize aims to mobilise collective action around our unique ability to innovate, problem solve and repair our planet.
“I am honoured to introduce the 15 innovators, leaders, and visionaries who are the first ever Finalists for The Earthshot Prize. They are working with the urgency required in this decisive decade for life on Earth and will inspire all of us with their optimism in our ability to rise to the greatest challenges in human history.”
Launched by Prince William and The Royal Foundation in October 2020, The Earthshot Prize is the most prestigious global environment prize in history. Like President John F. Kennedy’s ‘Moonshot’ did almost 60 years ago, the Prize aims to unleash an unprecedented wave of innovation and leadership to tackle our greatest environmental challenges. The Earthshot Prize will be awarded every year for the next decade, discovering a total of 50 Winners.
Five of these 15 Finalists will be awarded The Earthshot Prize and will win £1million in Prize funding for the best solutions of the five Earthshot goals: Protect and Restore Nature; Clean our Air; Revive our Oceans; Build a Waste-free World; and Fix our Climate. The Winners will be announced during an awards ceremony on 17th October from London’s Alexandra Palace, broadcast in the UK on BBC One and globally on Discovery+.
The Earthshot Prize Finalists for 2021 are:
Protect and Restore Nature:
- Pole Pole Foundation, Democratic Republic of Congo
An inspiring community-led model of conservation that protects gorillas and local livelihoods.
- The Republic of Costa Rica
A pioneering scheme paying local citizens to restore natural ecosystems that has led to a revival of the rainforest.
- Restor, Switzerland
A ground-breaking online platform connecting and empowering local conservation projects.
Clean our Air:
- The Blue Map App, China
China’s first public environmental database enabling citizens to hold polluters to account.
- Takachar, India
A pioneering technology to create profitable products from agricultural waste and put a stop to the burning of crops.
- Vinisha Umashankar, India
A 14-year-old innovator and activist who has designed a solar-powered ironing cart with the potential to improve air quality across India.
Revive our Oceans:
- Coral Vita, Bahamas
A truly cutting-edge breakthrough in coral farming that can restore our world’s dying coral reefs.
- Living Seawalls, Australia
Innovative and replicable seawall panels bringing marine life back to coastal sea defences.
- Pristine Seas, USA
An unprecedented global conservation programme protecting 6.5 million square km of the world’s ocean.
Build a Waste-Free World:
- The City of Milan Food Waste Hubs, Italy
A city-wide initiative that has dramatically cut waste while tackling hunger.
- Sanergy, Kenya
A circular sanitation solution that converts human waste into safe products for local farmers.
- WOTA BOX, Japan
A tiny water treatment plant that turns 98% of wastewater into clean water.
Fix our Climate:
- AEM Electrolyser, Thailand/Germany/Italy
An ingenious green hydrogen technology developed to transform how we power our homes and buildings.
- Reeddi Capsules, Nigeria
Solar-powered energy capsules making electricity affordable and accessible in energy-poor communities.
- SOLbazaar, Bangladesh
The world’s first peer-to-peer energy exchange network in a country on the front-line of climate change.
All 15 Finalists will receive support from The Earthshot Prize Global Alliance Members, an unprecedented network of global businesses, who will help scale their solutions for even greater impact.
Of these 15 Finalists, the five Winners will be selected by The Earthshot Prize Council, a diverse team of influential individuals which includes: HRH Prince William, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, Sir David Attenborough, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Indra Nooyi, Shakira Mebarak, Christiana Figueres, Luisa Neubauer, Cate Blanchett, Yao Ming, Daniel Alves Da Silva, Ernest Gibson, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Jack Ma, and Naoko Yamazaki.
In the run-up to the prize-giving ceremony on 17 October, BBC and Discovery will release a 5-part documentary series THE EARTHSHOT PRIZE: REPAIRING OUR PLANET, featuring Earthshot Prize Council Members including Prince William, Shakira Mebarak, Daniel Alves Da Silva and Sir David Attenborough.
For more information about the Finalists and The Earthshot Prize, visit: www.earthshotprize.org, email Claire Straw: TEPmedia@freuds.com, download media pack here.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210917005454/en/
Contact information
Claire Straw:
TEPmedia@freuds.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
FIFA World Cup™ Fans Embrace Referee View as Lenovo AI Brings Viewers Closer to the Pitch9.7.2026 07:00:00 EEST | Press release
New international research from Lenovo reveals that technological advancements are fundamentally changing how fans experience the FIFA World Cup 2026™, making viewers feel closer to the action than ever before. According to a survey of football fans across Australia, Canada, India, U.K., U.S., 87% say technology is improving their viewing experience, and 84% report the close-to-action camera perspectives help them feel like they're right there on the pitch. Accelerating this unprecedented view of the game is Referee View, powered by Lenovo AI that gives viewers a first-person look at the match from the referee’s point of view. The research further found: Over three-quarters (76%) of FIFA World Cup™ viewers have seen or heard about Referee View, and 91% say the close-to-action perspective is appealing. 88% say that smooth, stable footage is an important part of viewing sports footage, and nearly all fans (98%) say clear picture quality has been important when watching this FIFA World Cu
Empire State Building Observation Deck Launches Exclusive Soccer Jersey Ticket Offer for Sports Fans in July9.7.2026 01:37:00 EEST | Press release
The Empire State Building Observation Deck (ESBOD) today announced a new, exclusive ticket offer for soccer fans who don their favorite team’s duds at the “World’s Most Famous Building” in anticipation of the tournament final. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260708711923/en/ Empire State Building Observation Deck Launches Exclusive Soccer Jersey Ticket Offer for Sports Fans in July Guests who plan to wear their soccer jersey to the Empire State Building Observation Deck can purchase tickets online for 15 percent off to enjoy the immersive museum experience and New York City’s best views from the 86th and 102nd Floor Observation Decks. The limited-time offer is available only to guests who wear their soccer jersey on the day of their visit from now through July 31. “Whether they rep their favorite country’s jersey or the shirt from their hometown heroes, guests can celebrate their teams with prime views of the
New Esri Press Book Shows That GIS Can Transform the Entire Campus, Starting at the Classroom9.7.2026 00:33:00 EEST | Press release
Esri has released The Spatial Edge: The Strategic Advantage of GIS Skills Across Higher Education, a practical and accessible guide that demonstrates how geographic information system (GIS) technology can unify campuses academically and operationally. While GIS is often associated with disciplines such as geography, planning, and environmental studies, The Spatial Edge expands that view through real-world case examples. The book shows how spatial thinking can connect departments; strengthen decision-making; and help institutions address complex challenges across teaching, research, and campus operations. Designed for administrators, educators, and campus leaders, the guide highlights GIS being used across higher education to: Enhance teaching and student engagement Advance interdisciplinary research Improve campus planning and operations Strengthen community partnerships Prepare graduates with in-demand geospatial skills From the classroom to facilities management, The Spatial Edge ill
Jefferies Financial Group Inc. Announces Pricing of €850,000,000 4.500% Senior Notes Due 20338.7.2026 23:16:00 EEST | Press release
Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (NYSE: JEF) (“JFG”, “we” or “our”) today announced the pricing of its public offering of €850,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.500% Senior Notes due 2033 (the “Notes”) with an effective yield of 4.544%, maturing, July 15, 2033. The offering is expected to settle on July 15, 2026, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Application is expected to be made for the Notes to be admitted to the Official List of the Irish Stock Exchange plc, trading as Euronext Dublin, and admitted to trading on the Global Exchange Market of Euronext Dublin; any listing is subject to approval by Euronext Dublin. JFG intends to use the net proceeds of the offering for general corporate purposes. Jefferies International Limited served as sole global co-ordinator and joint active book-runner for the offering of the Notes, Banco Santander, S.A., Citigroup Global Markets Limited, Natixis, SMBC Bank International plc and Société Générale served as joint act
KiddeFenwal Launches New Website and Information Hub8.7.2026 19:00:00 EEST | Press release
KiddeFenwal, the global leader in the fire suppression and safety controls industry, today unveiled a revitalized website, designed to serve as a comprehensive information hub for fire industry practitioners and customers alike. The modernized platform includes features created specifically with the company’s global partners, OEMs and distributors in mind, including: Accelerated asset navigation, pointing users to critical safety documentation, design parameters and product specifications; Seamless solution mapping, helping users quickly locate fire suppression configurations by industry, from data centers to BESS applications to commercial kitchens; and Enhanced resource access, including streamlined pathways to connect with the company’s elite distributor network across 120 countries. It also provides information about the company’s three brands, Kidde Fire Systems, Kidde Fire Protection and Fenwal Controls, replacing other sites serving customers in Europe and India. The launch of t
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom