The next phase of innovative environmental solutions is being spearheaded by Prince William. On September 24, the Prince of Wales announced the 15 finalists for his initiative, The Earthshot Prize.
The selected winners will compete for a $1.3 million prize aimed at scaling their projects, with the final decision to be made during a gala event in Cape Town, South Africa, on November 6. However, three of this year’s finalists come from the United States.
Prince William expresses pride in the finalists’ passion and ingenuity as they work to tackle pressing environmental challenges
In a video recorded earlier this month in Windsor, William, sporting a new beard, shared his enthusiasm: “I’m excited to introduce you to this year’s 15 new Earthshot Prize finalists.
The solutions they present are among the most innovative and impactful we’ve encountered, and the individuals behind them are genuine inspirations. I know you share my passion for making a difference for our planet, and we look forward to sharing their stories with you.”
The announcement took place at the Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit held in New York City, co-hosted by The Earthshot Prize and Bloomberg Philanthropies. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg addressed the gathering, and speakers included Matt Damon, José Andrés (who recently joined William’s judging council), and Jane Fonda.
During the Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit, Prince William’s brother, Prince Harry, was also in New York for meetings related to his philanthropic efforts, though the two brothers did not cross paths as William was not present at the event.
Now in its fourth year, The Earthshot Prize continues its decade-long mission to identify and support visionary individuals and organizations with scalable solutions to tackle environmental challenges. This year’s finalists were chosen from nearly 2,500 applications submitted from 139 countries, marking the largest applicant pool in the prize’s history, according to William’s organization.
William, who serves as the founder and president of The Earthshot Prize, expressed his pride, stating, “Today, we celebrate the remarkable achievements, unwavering commitment, and urgent optimism of our fourth cohort of Earthshot innovators. The passion exhibited by these finalists showcases the incredible potential that arises when we harness the creativity and ingenuity of communities worldwide.”
He further noted, “These finalists, representing diverse corners of the globe, are at the forefront of addressing some of the most pressing environmental issues. Their pioneering work inspires hope and action as we strive to establish a sustainable future for generations to come.”
Each of The Earthshot Prize’s five categories features three finalists: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Ocean, Build a Waste-Free World, and Fix Our Climate. The U.S. finalists include Natural Fiber Welding (NFW) in the Build a Waste-Free World category and both Equatic and Advanced Thermovoltaic Systems in the Fix Our Climate category.
NFW specializes in creating biodegradable natural fibers and ingredients designed to replace plastics across various sectors, including fashion and automotive. CEO Luke Haverhals remarked in the recent video, “If the products you purchase are derived from nature, they can return to nature.”
Equatic employs a method known as seawater electrolysis, enabling it to extract carbon dioxide from the ocean at a rate 99,000 times quicker than natural processes. Meanwhile, Advanced Thermovoltaic Systems captures excess heat from industrial processes and converts it into electricity.
The other finalist in the Fix Our Climate category is Build Up Nepal, a social enterprise that has developed earthquake-resilient bricks with 75% lower carbon emissions compared to traditional clay-fired options.
In the Build a Waste-Free World category, France’s Ferment’Up upcycles fruit and vegetable skins and seeds into nutritious ingredients, reducing carbon emissions and water usage. Kenya’s Keep It Cool addresses refrigeration and cold-chain logistics across Africa through solar-powered solutions, cutting post-harvest waste by 25% while linking small farmers and fisheries to a centralized online marketplace.
In the Protect and Restore Nature category, the Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance from Ecuador unites 30 indigenous nations to safeguard 86 million acres of vital rainforest. The U.K.-based NatureMetrics is a global startup focused on environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling aimed at making biodiversity monitoring accessible, while Kazakhstan’s Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative has successfully revived the Saiga antelope from near extinction.
The Clean Our Air category includes GAYO Ghana, a youth-led organization implementing a “zero waste model” for waste management across Africa, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and particulate pollution while generating additional income for communities. d.light, a Pan-African enterprise, is on track to improve the lives of one billion people through affordable solar home systems, while Indonesia’s MYCL addresses the issues of crop-waste burning and harmful leather production by using a unique mushroom base to transform crop waste into a leather alternative.
Lastly, in the Revive Our Oceans category, the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People is a global alliance of 119 countries focused on protecting 30% of land and oceans by 2030. MiAlgae, a U.K. company, utilizes a patented fermentation process and whisky by-products to cultivate nutrient-rich microalgae for aquaculture feed, and Coast 4C, based in the Philippines, is a social enterprise dedicated to creating the world’s largest supply of regenerative seaweed, benefiting marginalized coastal fishing communities and lifting them out of poverty.
Joining Prince William on the council responsible for selecting the winners are Queen Rania of Jordan, Cate Blanchett, Sir David Attenborough, Indra Nooyi, designer Stella McCartney, chef José Andrés, Wanjira Mathai, Nemonte Nenquimo, Luisa Neubauer, Naoko Yamazaki, Ernest Gibson, and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
