Prince William praised this year’s Earthshot Prize winners as “true action heroes” after five groundbreaking climate solutions were honoured at a ceremony in Brazil. Each winner will receive £1 million to expand their projects and advance global environmental repair.
The awards – created by the Prince of Wales in 2020 – recognise bold, scalable ideas that can help heal the planet. Speaking on stage at Rio de Janeiro’s Museum of Tomorrow, he called the projects “inspiration in action” and a reminder that “real progress is absolutely within reach.”
The event brought together global figures from politics, entertainment, and sport. Presenters included Brazilian football icon Cafu, Olympic champion Rebeca Andrade, and former Formula 1 star Sebastian Vettel. Kylie Minogue and Shawn Mendes lit up the night with live performances, while UK figures such as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, and London Mayor Sadiq Khan were among the guests.
William reflected on his original mission when launching the prize: to ensure this decade becomes the turning point for the planet. “We set out to confront environmental challenges head on and support solutions that protect life on Earth,” he said, noting that Rio marks the midpoint of his 10-year commitment.
Modeled after John F. Kennedy’s Moonshot, the initiative focuses on five urgent goals: restoring nature, cleaning the air, reviving oceans, eliminating waste, and stabilising the climate. This year, almost 2,500 nominations were submitted from 72 countries before the final five were selected from a shortlist of 15.
2025 Earthshot Prize Winners
Protect & Restore Nature: re.green (Brazil) – turning restoration of the Atlantic Forest into a sustainable, finance-backed model.
Clean Our Air: City of Bogotá (Colombia) – proving policy-driven urban change is possible through clean-air zones and urban re-greening.
Revive Our Oceans: The High Seas Treaty – a landmark agreement that will protect marine life in international waters starting January 2026.
Build a Waste-Free World: Lagos Fashion Week (Nigeria) – reshaping fashion through mandatory sustainability standards for every showcased designer.
Fix Our Climate: Friendship (Bangladesh) – supporting vulnerable communities with climate adaptation, healthcare, education, and disaster readiness.
Thiago Picolo of re.green said the recognition will unlock new partnerships: “It validates our work, accelerates conversations with investors, and proves we’re moving in the right direction.”
Prince William emphasised that the winners represent “optimism in action,” adding: “If we match their ambition and belief, a better world is absolutely possible.”
Christiana Figueres, chair of the Earthshot board, described the winners as part of a growing “global legacy” of climate innovation. “Their goals for 2030 are bold, but their impact and commitment give us every reason to stay hopeful.”
As the prize reaches its halfway mark, the message was clear: climate action is no longer just possible – it’s already happening.
