HRH The Prince of Wales announces the 2025 Earthshot Finalists
The Prince of Wales has expressed profound pride in the growing global impact of his groundbreaking environmental initiative, the Earthshot Prize, as the 2025 finalists are revealed.
In November, Prince William will journey to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the highly anticipated fifth Earthshot Prize Awards, where five visionary winners will be celebrated for their remarkable innovations. Each recipient will receive £1 million to expand and accelerate their efforts to heal and protect the planet.
There are 15 finalists in the running to receive five prizes worth £1 million each, across five categories. The winners will be selected by Prince William and fellow members of the Earthshot Prize Council.
Inspired by a spirit of “urgent optimism,” the Prince’s vision for the Earthshot Prize has become a beacon of hope and action — recognising bold solutions from every corner of the world, across industries and generations. Dedicated to tackling the planet’s most pressing challenges, the prize champions creativity, collaboration, and the belief that humanity has the power to restore the Earth for future generations.
The Earthshot Prize was also founded because we believe this decade can be a great human success story. That, with urgency and optimism, we can act to repair our planet. The 15 Finalists we announce, alongside the 60 that have come before them, will help us make sure that this decade counts. Speaking in a video HRH Prince William said:
“The Earthshot Prize was founded because this decade matters. 2030 is a threshold by which future generations will judge us; it is the point at which our actions, or lack of them, will have shaped forever the trajectory of our planet.
“I am deeply proud of what the Earthshot prize has done in its first five years and I’m enormously excited for the next five.”
At the time of the prize’s launch in 2020, scientists made clear significant changes had to be made by 2030.
“Back then, a decade felt a long time. George was seven, Charlotte five and Louis two; the thought of them in 2030 felt a lifetime away,” William says in the video.
“But today, as we stand halfway through this critical decade, 2030 feels very real.”
The Earthshot prize finalists are “moving us towards achieving vital global goals that will improve and secure lives and livelihoods for all of us – goals such as protecting 30% of our land and sea by 2030.
“It is impossible to hear these finalists’ stories, to see the impact they are already having and not feel encouraged by their energy and momentum,”
“For me, it is that urgent optimism that has been at the heart of this prize from the beginning. And it feels unstoppable.
“The people behind these projects are heroes of our time, so let us back them. Because, if we do, we can make the world cleaner, safer and full of opportunity – not only for future generations, but for the lives we want to lead now.”
“The journey to 2030 is still ours to define. With the vision of these finalists and the support of all of us, a flourishing planet is already a reality.”
Earthshot Prize Rio de Janeiro 2025
A decade that defines tomorrow — and a generation that dares to change it.
The world now turns its gaze to Rio de Janeiro, where on Wednesday, 5 November, the fifth Earthshot Prize will unveil its overall winners — a moment that celebrates human ingenuity and the relentless pursuit of a sustainable future.
The 2025 ceremony marks the pivotal halfway point in the Earthshot decade, a vision launched by Prince William in 2020 when scientists warned that bold and urgent change must come by 2030. In a deeply personal reflection, the Prince of Wales recalled that at the time of its founding, “a decade felt a long time — George was seven, Charlotte five, and Louis two — the thought of them in 2030 felt a lifetime away.”
Today, standing firmly in the heart of this defining decade, his message resonates with urgency and hope. “2030 feels very real,” he shared. “The Earthshot Prize was founded because this decade matters. 2030 is the threshold by which future generations will judge us — the point where our choices, our courage, and our compassion will determine the destiny of our planet.”
The Earthshot Prize, founded by HRH Prince William in 2020, is the world’s most prestigious and impactful environmental award. Our mission is simple: Urgency + Optimism = Action. Each year, we identify, celebrate and back groundbreaking climate leaders across five Earthshots: Clean Our Air, Fix Our Climate, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World, and Protect and Restore Nature – awarding £1M to five Winners and connecting all 15 Finalists to a global network of funders, businesses, and communities.
Clean our Air:
The City of Bogotá: https://earthshotprize.org/winners-fi…
The City of Guangzhou: https://earthshotprize.org/winners-fi…
The State of Gujarat: https://earthshotprize.org/winners-fi…
Fix our Climate:
Barbados: https://earthshotprize.org/winners-fi…
Form Energy: https://earthshotprize.org/winners-fi…
Friendship: https://earthshotprize.org/winners-fi…
Revive our Oceans:
Bonds for Ocean Conservation: https://earthshotprize.org/winners-fi…
The High Seas Treaty: https://earthshotprize.org/winners-fi…
Matter: https://earthshotprize.org/winners-fi…
Build a Waste-Free World:
ATRenew: https://earthshotprize.org/winners-fi…
Lagos Fashion Week: https://earthshotprize.org/winners-fi…
Quay Quarter Tower: https://earthshotprize.org/winners-fi…
Protect and Restore Nature:
re:green: https://earthshotprize.org/winners-fi…
Tropical Forest Forever Facility: https://earthshotprize.org/winners-fi…
Tenure Facility: https://earthshotprize.org/winners-fi…
