Prince William announces Earthshot Prize winners

The awards ceremony saw these five laureates, selected from 15 innovative finalists, each receive a £1 million to enhance their environmental solutions and expedite their developmental and influential strides. The third group of Earthshot Prize recipients represents efforts that span across six continents, dedicating themselves to environmental protection, restoration, and the advancement of local communities globally.

The event was presided over by Hannah Waddingham, an Emmy Award winner, and Sterling K. Brown, a thrice Emmy awarded actor and producer. The ceremony was a showcase of the 15 finalists' inspiring journeys, all contenders for this year's Prize, and included performances by globally renowned artists such as Bastille, OneRepublic, and Bebe Rexha. Presenting the five awards were notable personalities including Cate Blanchett, Lana Condor, Robert Irwin, Nomzamo Mbatha, and Donnie Yen.

The five winners are:

Protect and Restore Nature

ACCIÓN ANDINA

The Andes Mountains, South America

Nominated by: Salesforce

Acción Andina is a grassroots, community-based initiative working across South America to protect native high Andean forest ecosystems for their invaluable benefits to nature and millions of people in the region.

Clean Our Air

GRST

Hong Kong, China

Nominated by: Bluetech Clean Air Alliance

With the development of a new way to build and recycle vital lithium-ion batteries, GRST’s solution offers a pathway to make the electric cars of the future even cleaner.

Revive Our Oceans

WILDAID MARINE PROGRAM

Global (US HQ with work in The Bahamas, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Gabon, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Palau, Panama, Philippines, Sao Tome & Principe, and Tanzania)

Nominated by: Project Everyone

Global non-profit organization WildAid scales marine enforcement to end illegal fishing and strengthen ocean conservation.

Build a Waste-Free World

S4S TECHNOLOGIES

India

Nominated by: Acumen, Advaita Capital, Ashden, U.N. World Food Programme (WFP)

S4S Technologies’ solar-powered dryers and processing equipment to combat food waste, enabling small-hold farmers to preserve crops and turn produce that might otherwise go to waste into valuable products.

Fix Our Climate

BOOMITRA

Global (With work in South America, Asia, and Africa)

Nominated by: DPWorld, Impact Entrepreneur, U.N. World Food Programme (WFP)

Boomitra are removing emissions and boosting farmer profits by incentivising land restoration through a verified carbon-credit marketplace.

From Sunday, 12th November, the ceremony will be accessible to a worldwide audience through broadcasts on the BBC in the UK, PBS in the US, various MultiChoice channels across Africa, Mediacorp’s platforms in Singapore, and The Earthshot Prize’s YouTube channel elsewhere.

“The last year has been one of great change and even greater challenge. A year in which the effects of the climate crisis have become too visible to be ignored. And a year that has left so many feeling defeated, their hope, dwindling. However, as we have seen tonight, hope does remain. The light of optimism is burning bright in our Earthshot Finalists. From Boomitra, S4S, and Acción Andina, to GRST and WildAid Marine Program, our Winners and all our Finalists remind us that, no matter where you are on our planet, the spirit of ingenuity, and the ability to inspire change, surrounds us all,” said Prince William, Founder and President of The Earthshot Prize.

Since December 2022, The Earthshot Prize has conducted a nine-month international search for the most inspiring and innovative solutions to the world's significant environmental challenges. A panel consisting of 59 experts in science, academia, and specialised fields whittled down over 1,100 global nominations to just 15 finalists, with Deloitte independently validating all nominations.

The selection of the five winners was made by Prince William alongside The Earthshot Prize Council, an assembly of committed activists, experts, and prominent figures led by Christiana Figueres DBE, the architect of the Paris Agreement and chair of The Earthshot Prize Board of Trustees.

The Council's distinguished members include global influencers such as Sir David Attenborough and individuals like Queen Rania Al Abdullah and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, all united in their mission to foster urgent, innovative action for environmental protection.

Beyond the monetary award, the 15 finalists will benefit from The Earthshot Prize Fellowship Programme, offering a year of mentorship, resources, and technical assistance to accelerate their impactful solutions. This includes access to an influential network of businesses, investors, and climate specialists, part of The Earthshot Prize’s Global Alliance of Partners, dedicated to environmental action.

Looking forward, The Earthshot Prize is inviting nominations for its fourth cohort of pioneers, with submissions open until 15th December. The full list of nominators and application details are available on their official platform.