Environmental Award Finalists Described as ‘Heroes of Our Time’, States Prince William

Prince William has commended the finalists for his eco-friendly global award as “contemporary champions”.

The royal is set to travel to Rio de Janeiro next month for the awards event, marking the inaugural occasion the awards have been staged in the South American region.

This award, founded by the prince five years ago, grants one million pounds each year to five initiatives for their groundbreaking eco-solutions.

In the current cycle, there have been close to 2,500 contenders from over 70 nations, with the victors to be chosen by the prince and his Earthshot Prize Council, which features well-known figures.

The list of nominees includes a tropical island nation to emerging enterprises.

About the Environmental Award

The Earthshot Prize is a 10-year project with past ceremonies held in global hubs such as London, Boston, Singapore, and Cape Town.

The main awards ceremony is set to take place at Rio de Janeiro’s Museum of Tomorrow on November 5th.

Key Finalists and Their Projects

• Barbados has been shortlisted for its global leadership on climate action, with the nation on course to become fossil-free by the year 2030.
• A major city in China is in the running in the “Improve Air Quality” section for transitioning to electric power of its public transport system.
• Sydney’s Quay Quarter Tower is billed as the world’s first fully “upcycled skyscraper”, avoiding demolition and minimizing environmental impact.
• Matter, the sole nominee from Britain, has developed a filtration system for laundry appliances that captures microplastics, a primary source of ocean pollution.

“In my view, winning an Earthshot prize personally would be like winning an Olympic gold medal,” stated Adam Root, creator of the company.

Prince William’s Thoughts and Vision

Through a recorded statement shared to commemorate the reveal of this year’s finalists, he reflected on the previous half-decade.

“Back then, a ten-year period felt like a long time. George was seven, Charlotte, five, and Louis two; the idea of them in the year 2030 felt a lifetime away,” expressed Prince William.

“But today, as we find ourselves halfway through this critical decade, 2030 feels increasingly tangible.

“That date is a turning point by which coming ages will evaluate us; it is the moment at which our actions, or lack of them, will have permanently influenced the trajectory of our world.”

He added: “The people behind these initiatives are heroes of our time, so let us support them. Since, if we do, we can make the world more pristine, more secure and full of opportunity - not only for future generations, but for the existence we want to lead now.”

The Earthshot Prize as a Central Project

This award program is now one of the key pieces of Prince William’s public work.

“He has been able to build an unprecedented network of entities,” noted a representative for the award.

“The philanthropists, businesses, and influential figures who participate – there’s never been a group of people collaborating on a single environment project in the way they have with the Earthshot Prize.”

This year, the Earthshot Prize events in Rio precede the global climate summit being held in Belem on the edge of the Amazon Rainforest.