Prince William has just announced 15 Finalists for the inaugural year of the £50 million Earthshot Prize.
Created by Prince William and The Royal Foundation, The Earthshot Prize has led an unprecedented global search for the most inspiring and innovative solutions to the greatest environmental challenges facing the planet.
It is the most prestigious global environment prize in history.
Among the finalists, is Reeddi Capsules of Nigeria, with solar-powered energy capsules that make electricity affordable and accessible in energy-poor communities.
Each finalist stands 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,” he said.
The Earthshot Prize Finalists for 2021 are:
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.
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.
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.
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 tailored support and resources from The Earthshot Prize Global Alliance Members, an unprecedented network of private sector businesses around the world who will help scale their solutions to realise an even greater impact with their ground-breaking work.
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