Earthshot Prize 2025 Winners Announced by Prince William in Rio de Janeiro

Fri Dec 05 2025 07:35:39 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Prince William unveils the winners of the prestigious Earthshot Prize at a vibrant ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, focusing on innovative projects aimed at tackling climate change.

During a star-studded ceremony in Brazil, Prince William announced the winners of the Earthshot Prize 2025, rewarding innovative initiatives aimed at reversing environmental damage. The winners each receive £1 million to implement their climate solutions. The ceremony featured performances by artists such as Kylie Minogue and celebrated the innovative spirit of environmentalism worldwide.

In a dazzling ceremony held at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro, Prince William announced the winners of the Earthshot Prize 2025, an initiative he founded in 2020 to reward impactful environmental solutions aimed at combating climate change.

This year's awardees, which include a project focused on restoring tropical forests and a global ocean treaty initiative, each receive a £1 million grant to scale their climate solutions.

Expressing his admiration for the winners, Prince William stated they serve as an inspiration and demonstrate that progress is possible in addressing pressing environmental challenges. The event was not just a display of environmental advocacy but also a celebration of art, featuring performances from artists such as Kylie Minogue and Shawn Mendes. Brazilian football star Cafu, Olympian Rebeca Andrade, and former Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel were among the luminaries who presented the awards.

Attendees, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, highlighted the global commitment to addressing climate issues, with Prince William emphasizing the urgency to transform our world for a better future. As the event marked a halfway point in his 10-year commitment to the prize, it brought together nearly 2,500 nominees from 72 countries, showcasing a diverse range of innovative ideas.

The Earthshot Prize seeks to tackle five key goals: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World, and Fix Our Climate. This year's winners illustrated the commitment and creativity necessary for achieving these ambitious aims.

Protect and Restore Nature: re.green (Brazil) focuses on making the protection of the Atlantic Forest financially viable.
Clean Our Air: Bogotá, Colombia, implements policies like clean air zones to foster lasting change.
Revive Our Oceans: The High Seas Treaty sets clear measures for marine conservation, effective from January 2026.
Build a Waste-Free World: Lagos Fashion Week in Nigeria mandates sustainable practices from designers.
Fix Our Climate: Friendship (Bangladesh) aids vulnerable communities in accessing essential services and preparing for natural disasters.

The profound connection between innovation and optimism was a focal point of the event, with board chair Christiana Figueres stating, These winners are proof that the spirit of collective action born here in Rio continues to grow stronger, more determined, and more urgent than ever. With a commitment to traveling to regions significantly impacted by climate change, Prince William's presence in Brazil underscored the global urgency for environmental action.