The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have announced a global prize to tackle the world’s biggest climate issues.
Prince William and Kate launched the Earthshot Prize on New Year’s Eve, pledging a “decade of action to repair the Earth.”
It is being hailed as “the most prestigious environment prize in history.”
Prince William said: “The earth is at a tipping point and we face a stark choice: either we continue as we are and irreparably damage our planet or we remember our unique power as human beings and our continual ability to lead, innovate and problem-solve”.
The Earthshot Prize will be awarded five times each year between 2021 and 2030, to those individuals or organisations that manage to come up with effective solutions to environmental problems.
Kensington Palace shared a photo of the Duke of Cambridge, which was taken by the Duchess, at a melting glacier in the Hindu Kush mountain range during their recent tour of Pakistan.
It was posted alongside a video message narrated by naturalist Sir David Attenborough who said the prize would go to “visionaries rewarded over the next decade for responding to the great challengers of our time” warning “we can no longer take life as we know it for granted.”
Hillary Clinton has also backed the prize, tweeting: “With Australia on fire and the Arctic in meltdown, it’s clear we’re in a climate emergency. I’m proud to support @EarthshotPrize from @KensingtonRoyal, a new effort to inspire Earth’s greatest problem solvers to repair the natural world.”
A number of challenges will be announced in the upcoming months, aimed at finding at least 50 solutions to the “world’s greatest problems” including “climate and energy, nature and biodiversity, oceans, air pollution, and fresh water”.
The prize is being led by Prince William and multiple others from around the world including philanthropists and organisations.
