What Happened to The Earthshot Prize?

The Earthshot Prize was conceived by Prince William in 2019 and officially launched in 2020, co-founded with Sir David Attenborough, with the ambitious goal of finding and scaling solutions to repair the planet by 2030. The initiative draws inspiration from President John F. Kennedy's 1961 'Moonshot' challenge, aiming to galvanize global innovation and optimism in the face of environmental crises. Prince William expressed a sense of responsibility to establish the prize, citing the Earth's 'tipping point' and the inspiring work of his grandfather Prince Philip, his father King Charles III, and Sir David Attenborough.

Each year, the prize awards five £1 million grants to individuals, teams, or organizations whose solutions demonstrate significant potential across five 'Earthshots': Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World, and Fix Our Climate. The prize money is intended to help winners scale their impactful work. Beyond financial backing, finalists and winners receive tailored support, mentorship, and access to a global network of partners through the Earthshot Prize Global Alliance, which includes businesses, philanthropists, and NGOs.

A key turning point occurred in 2022 when the prize separated from the Royal Foundation to become its own independent charity, allowing it to further expand its global reach and impact. Since its inaugural awards ceremony in London in 2021, the prize has hosted events in major cities worldwide, including Boston (2022), Singapore (2023), Cape Town (2024), and Rio de Janeiro (2025), highlighting diverse environmental challenges and solutions across different continents.

As of 2026, The Earthshot Prize is past the halfway point of its decade-long mission. The 2026 finalists, numbering 15, were announced on September 17, 2026, selected using criteria that for the first time incorporated the science of positive tipping points to identify solutions capable of unlocking wider environmental transformation. The upcoming sixth annual awards ceremony is scheduled for November 17, 2026, in Mumbai, India, a city chosen for its representation of both environmental challenges and opportunities, and India's leadership in climate solutions. The Bezos Earth Fund also announced in February 2026 that it would provide $4.8 million to back 48 projects from Earthshot Prize nominees over three years, further amplifying the prize's impact. The prize continues to foster a global coalition dedicated to accelerating environmental innovation and inspiring action to repair the planet.