Prince William Announces Environment Prize, Calls For ‘Decade of Action to Repair the Earth’
The Duke of Cambridge has announced “the most prestigious environmental prize in history” for “visionaries” working to solve “Earth’s greatest environmental problems,” in a bid to galvanise a decade of action to repair the planet, comprising at least 50 solutions to the world’s greatest problems by 2030.
The Earthshot Prize aims to encourage and inspire people across the world to find innovative new solutions to one of the gravest problems facing the Earth. A multi-million pound, The Earthshot Prize, will be awarded to five winners a year over the next decade with the aim of producing at least 50 solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.
“The earth is at a tipping point and we face a stark choice: either we continue as we are and irreparably damage our planet or we remember our unique power as human beings and our continual ability to lead, innovate and problem-solve,” William, 37, said in a statement.
“Remember the awe-inspiring civilisations that we have built, the life-saving technology we have created, the fact that we have put a man on the moon,” he added. “People can achieve great things. The next 10 years present us with one of our greatest tests – a decade of action to repair the Earth.”
The prize, which has been likened to the Nobel Prize, aims to herald a new era of fresh optimism and action on the environment, replacing current pessimism. A set of five unique challenges, rooted in science, will be announced in the coming months. An annual awards ceremony will take place in different cities across the world each year between 2021 and 2030.
The prize was designed by and will initially be handled by the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — headed by Prince William and Kate Middleton. The Earthshot initiative, which comes after more than a year of consultations with over 60 organisations and experts, aims to generate new technologies, policies and solutions for issues of climate and energy, nature and biodiversity, oceans, air pollution and fresh water.
Kensington Palace said the prize drew its inspiration from the concept of Moonshots, which it said since the 1969 moon landings was synonymous with ambitious and ground-breaking goals.
The project will be formally launched later in 2020 with challenges announced at events around the world and annual award ceremonies in different cities between 2021 and 2030.
