Earthshot Prize

➡️ THE EARTHSHOT PRIZE - Mobilising a Decade of Environmental Action to Repair the Planet

Every year, the Earthshot Prize awards five of the most dedicated game-changers leading the way in environmentalism. They are each honoured with £1 million to support and expand their work.

The award was founded by HRH Prince William and was launched in 2020 alongside biologist and natural historian David Attenborough. The award was first presented in 2021 and will be given annually until 2030. This year's presentation was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 5.

Jump straight to our resources on the ➡️ Earthshot Prize

Explore our comprehensive guides on -

• The Climate Crisis

• Nature & the Environment

• Air Pollution

• Sustainability

• Oceans & Water

• Waste, Plastics, & Recycling

• Environment & Energy in the UK

"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" - HRH Prince William

*****

What are the Five Earthshots?

The Earthshots are five simple yet ambitious goals aimed at helping find and fund solutions to the planet's biggest challenges by 2030. The five goals include -

• Protect & Restore Nature - A decline in nature is being witnessed at unprecedented rates. One million of the world's estimated 8 million species of plants and animals are threatened with extinction. More than 500 species of land animals are likely to be lost within 20 years. Our global food system is the primary driver of biodiversity loss, with agriculture alone identified as the threat to 24,000 of the 28,000 species at risk of extinction.

• Clean Our Air - Nine out of 10 people around the world breathe air that does not meet the WHO's recommended air quality standards. Air pollution kills 7 million people every year, 9 out of 10 of these deaths are in low- and middle-income countries. Burning fossil fuels and biomass accounts for 85% of all global air pollution.

• Revive Our Oceans - Without serious intervention, by 2050, UNESCO reports that plastic will outweigh all fish in the sea. Today, 60% of fish now contain microplastics. There are approximately 405 biological dead zones in the ocean, which are no longer capable of supporting life. Overfishing, climate change, acidification, and pollution have created a polycrisis in our oceans, leading to rising sea levels, coral bleaching, and a 50% decline in marine life populations between 1970 and 2012.

• Build a Waste-Free World - More than 400 million tons of plastic are produced every year, and at current rates, this is set to triple by 2060. Half of it is only used once and then thrown away. Over 98% of single-use plastic is produced using fossil fuels. Only 9% of the plastic ever made has been recycled; the rest is either burned, buried, or ends up in our natural world.

• Fix Our Climate - The year 2024 was officially the hottest year on record. An estimated 3.6 billion people already live in areas highly susceptible to the effects of climate change. Our oceans are warming, ice sheets are shrinking, glaciers are retreating, sea levels are rising, and extreme weather events are occurring at unprecedented rates. Climate-related disasters have increased by 83% over the past 20 years.

"The Earthshot Prize exists to champion the game-changers, the makers, the creatives, the leaders. When they win, we all win" - HRH Prince William

Meet the 2025 Earthshot Laureates

Each year, the five winners are chosen by Prince William and the Earthshot Prize Council, which includes the actress Cate Blanchett, Queen Rania of Jordan, Sir David Attenborough, and many other environmental and climate advocates from around the world.

• Re.green - Protect & Restore Nature Winner

Their unique approach to forest restoration provides a tailored model which makes protecting forests financially viable and sustainable in the long term. They combine AI, drones and satellite imagery with ecological and financial data to identify areas with the biggest potential for successful restoration.

• The City of Bogotá - Clean Our Air Winner

The Colombian city of Bogotá has long battled dangerous levels of air pollution. Between 1998 and 2005, concentrations of particulate matter exceeded seven times the limit currently set out by the WHO. Through the implementation of bold air policies, the city has cut levels of air pollution by 24% since 2018. The city now boasts the largest cycle path network in Latin America, one of the world's biggest electric bus fleets, more than 100 km of low-emission bus lanes, reclaimed countless street spaces for pedestrians, and restricted heavy freight vehicles.

• The High Seas Treaty - Revive Our Oceans

Around two-thirds of the world's ocean lies beyond the jurisdiction of any one country, leaving it unregulated, unprotected, and exposed to overexploitation and industrial activities. After 2 decades of relentless campaigning, in March 2023, a groundbreaking treaty to protect our oceans was agreed upon. This is the first time a global legal framework for Marine Protected Areas has been established. The treaty outlines clear measures to prevent overfishing, conserve ocean life and fair inclusion for developing countries.

• Lagos Fashion Week - Build a Waste-Free World

The fashion industry is one of the world's most wasteful sectors. Overproduction and overconsumption are fueling a devastating environmental situation. Lagos Fashion Week has transformed this huge event to prove that this industry can be circular, sustainable, ethical, and responsible.

• Friendship - Fix Our Climate

Bangladesh, as one of the world's lowest-lying nations, sits on the frontlines of the climate crisis. As one of the countries that has contributed the least to the climate crisis, grave injustice is unfolding as millions are displaced by cyclones, flooding, increasing water salinity, rising seas, and soil erosion. Founded in 2002, Friendship helps those in especially vulnerable areas prepare and adapt to a changing world. They also assist with healthcare needs, education, food, drinking water, livelihoods, and improving access to public services. Their work even extends to ecosystem restoration, helping to shield villages from the worst effects of cyclones. This organisation, with a social purpose, now reaches 7.5 million people annually.

*****

Inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Earthshot Prize has now grown into one of the most prestigious environmental prizes. Funded by philanthropists such as the Aga Khan Development Network, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Greenpeace, and the Bezos Earth Fund, the organisation was officially declared a charity in 2022.

Efforts have now expanded to include the Earthshot Prize Global Alliance, which helps support all 15 finalists, and also a Fellowship Programme that assists finalists in developing their ideas by networking and partnering with various businesses and organisations within the alliance.

Committed to the cause, the menu at the prize ceremony is always either vegan or vegetarian. At this year's event in Brazil, the world's fifth biggest meat consumer, the request caused a stir among acclaimed chef Saulo Jennings, who argued that fish can also be sustainably sourced.

Animal agriculture is a leading driver of deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and biodiversity loss. The plant-based menu conveys a significant message about the charity's commitment to its mission.

"There's never been a group of people working together on a single environmental project in the way they have with the Earthshot Prize. Prince William has been completely relentless in building that network." - Jason Knauf, CEO of Earthshot Prize.

Author: Rachael Mellor, 16.11.25 licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

For further reading on the Earthshot Prize see below ⬇️