Prince William seeks nominees for US$1.4 million Earthshot prize to tackle climate change
This year's prizes will go to projects aimed at "tipping point" issues where there are opportunities to create significant benefits over the next few years, such as agriculture that restores the environment and initiatives that extend the life of clothing, food and plastic products.
Britain's Prince William has on Thursday, Jan. 6 appealed for innovators around the world to submit nominations for his Earthshot Prize, a competition aimed at finding new ways to tackle climate change. (Toby Melville/Pool via AP, file)
Britain's Prince William on Thursday (Jan 6) appealed for innovators around the world to submit nominations for his Earthshot Prize, a competition aimed at finding new ways to tackle climate change.
William and his charity, The Royal Foundation, launched the prize in 2020 inspired by US President John F Kennedy's 1962 "Moonshot" speech that challenged Americans to go to the moon by the end of the decade.
The prize, to be awarded to five winners every year until 2030, is billed as the most prestigious of its kind. Each winner will receive a grant of 1 million pounds (US$1.4 million) to develop and scale up their ideas.
This year's prizes will go to projects aimed at "tipping point" issues where there are opportunities to create significant benefits over the next few years, the foundation said. These include personal transportation, agriculture that restores the environment, buildings designed to minimise pollution and energy use, and initiatives that extend the life of clothing, food and plastic products.
"I can't wait to see what solutions the prize helps to champion this coming year,'' William said in a statement. "In 2022, we are determined to go further by seeking even more nominations from every corner of the world, ensuring that we spotlight and scale the very best ideas and innovations that will put our planet on a sustainable path and protect our world for generations to come."
