Innovators across the globe are turning bold environmental ideas into real, measurable progress.
Launched in 2020 by Prince William, the Earthshot Prize honors five groundbreaking environmental solutions each year—one for each of Earthshot’s key goals. Winners receive funding and long-term support to scale their innovations, helping communities worldwide adopt cleaner, more sustainable practices. The most recent winners show how global climate progress is unfolding right now, from restoring forests in Brazil to improving air quality in major cities and protecting international waters. Together, these projects demonstrate that meaningful environmental change is not only possible—it is already happening.
1. Prince William Created Earthshot to Accelerate Climate Innovation
Prince William founded the Earthshot Prize to spotlight ambitious, science-backed environmental solutions capable of transforming the planet. Inspired by the “moonshot” challenges of the 1960s, his goal was to encourage a new generation of innovators working toward measurable progress in climate resilience, nature restoration, and pollution reduction.
Earthshot identifies promising ideas and helps turn them into large-scale solutions by offering funding, international visibility, and access to expert support. The initiative has quickly become one of the world’s most influential environmental awards, drawing global attention to projects capable of meaningful, long-term impact.
2. Earthshot Honors Five Winners Each Year Across Major Environmental Goals
Each year, Earthshot selects winners in five categories: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World, and Fix Our Climate. These categories reflect the most urgent environmental challenges facing the planet today, ensuring the winners represent a wide range of solutions.
Winners receive both financial support and expert guidance to help expand their impact. By elevating innovations that might otherwise remain local or underfunded, Earthshot helps accelerate environmental progress and inspire similar efforts around the world.
3. re.green Is Restoring Forests at Scale in Brazil
Winner of the “Protect and Restore Nature” Earthshot, re.green is working to restore large areas of Brazil’s degraded Atlantic Forest. The organization uses advanced mapping and ecological data to identify priority restoration zones and implement large-scale planting strategies.
By combining conservation with sustainable economic opportunities, re.green helps communities benefit from restored ecosystems. Their work captures carbon, protects biodiversity, and supports livelihoods, demonstrating how forest recovery can be both environmentally and economically transformative.
4. Bogotá Is Reducing Pollution Through Urban Transformation
The City of Bogotá won the “Clean Our Air” category for its efforts to reduce urban pollution through improved public transportation, pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, and cleaner mobility programs. These reforms have helped decrease harmful emissions in one of South America’s most densely populated cities.
Bogotá’s work shows how city-level action can meaningfully improve air quality for millions of residents. By redesigning how people move through the city, officials have created healthier streets, reduced congestion, and demonstrated a model that other global cities can adapt.
5. The High Seas Treaty Aims to Protect International Waters
Winner of the “Revive Our Oceans” award, the High Seas Treaty represents a landmark global agreement designed to safeguard international waters beyond any one country’s jurisdiction. The treaty provides tools for establishing marine protected areas and regulating activities that threaten ocean health.
By coordinating conservation efforts across nations, the treaty helps preserve biodiversity in some of the planet’s most vulnerable and least regulated regions. Its impact could be far-reaching, supporting healthier oceans and more sustainable use of marine resources worldwide.
6. Lagos Fashion Week Is Redefining Sustainability in the Clothing Industry
In the “Build a Waste-Free World” category, Lagos Fashion Week was recognized for promoting circular fashion systems, sustainable textile choices, and local craftsmanship. The initiative encourages designers and consumers to reduce waste through recycling, reuse, and more responsible production methods.
By shifting the culture of fashion toward sustainability, Lagos Fashion Week demonstrates that environmental innovation can come from creative industries as well as science and technology. Their work highlights how cultural influence can drive meaningful reductions in waste.
7. Friendship Is Helping Communities Build Climate Resilience in Bangladesh
Friendship, winner of the “Fix Our Climate” Earthshot, supports vulnerable communities in Bangladesh through projects that combine climate adaptation with healthcare, education, and ecosystem restoration. Their work helps residents prepare for extreme weather while supporting long-term well-being.
By integrating environmental solutions with social services, Friendship’s approach addresses both the causes and consequences of climate change. Their model shows how community resilience can be strengthened through holistic support systems.
8. Earthshot’s Global Reach Helps Spread Solutions Worldwide
The Earthshot Prize’s international scope ensures that innovations from diverse regions gain global attention and support. Many winners come from communities directly impacted by environmental challenges, making their solutions relevant and practical for similar regions worldwide.
This global network allows ideas to spread quickly, creating a ripple effect of climate progress. By elevating solutions from all continents, Earthshot encourages international collaboration and highlights the universal importance of environmental action.
9. Funding and Expert Support Help Winners Scale Quickly
Earthshot offers more than prize money. Winners also gain access to mentorship, scientific guidance, and partnerships that help them grow faster than they could alone. These resources allow solutions to expand to new regions, improve technology, and build long-term capacity.
This support system helps promising innovations overcome common barriers such as limited funding, lack of visibility, or insufficient infrastructure. As a result, winners are often able to dramatically increase their impact within a short time.
10. Early Successes Show Real-World Impact Is Already Underway
Several recent winners have already demonstrated measurable results. Reforestation projects are restoring biodiversity in Brazil, while Bogotá’s transportation reforms have reduced emissions. Marine protections inspired by global agreements are beginning to take shape in international waters.
These achievements show that Earthshot is not just an awards program—it is a catalyst for practical environmental progress. By accelerating impactful projects, the Prize is helping create a more sustainable future across multiple sectors.
11. Earthshot Winners Offer Hope for a Rapidly Changing Planet
The five winning solutions highlight the creativity and determination emerging worldwide in response to environmental challenges. Their work proves that meaningful climate action is possible when innovation is paired with strong support and global collaboration.
Prince William’s initiative aims to inspire optimism and urgency, reminding the world that protecting the planet requires both bold ideas and immediate action. The successes of these winners offer a hopeful vision of what can be achieved in the years ahead.