LONDON — Next week, Prince William will take his environmental initiative to South Africa as he prepares to announce the winners of the Earthshot Prize, which aims to discover innovative solutions to combat climate change and protect the planet’s vital resources.
The prince’s visit to Cape Town will involve several events, culminating in the award ceremony planned for two days later. This will be the first occasion that the Earthshot Prize, valued at 1 million pounds (approximately $1.2 million), is presented in Africa, following previous ceremonies held in the UK, the United States, and Singapore.
Launched in 2020, the Earthshot Prize was established by William to motivate creators and entrepreneurs to devise technologies that can help in addressing global warming and its repercussions. By hosting the ceremony in Africa, a region that has personal significance for him, the prince hopes to gain insights into the innovations emerging from the continent, as stated by Kensington Palace.
The palace emphasized that “despite contributing the least to global warming and having the lowest emissions, Africa is the most vulnerable continent to the impacts of climate change.” It went on to note that nearly every African nation has pledged to enhance climate actions by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing resilience to climate change.
Among this year’s finalists are several noteworthy projects: a Kenyan company specializing in solar energy systems for off-grid homes, a Ghanaian organization that focuses on educating people about recycling and waste reduction instead of disposal by burning, and another Kenyan business producing small solar-powered refrigeration units to assist farmers and fishermen in transporting their products without spoilage.
During his stay in South Africa, the prince will engage with local organizations to understand their efforts aimed at environmental protection and restoration. These efforts range from preserving biodiversity in the Cape region to innovating within the local fishing industry through advanced technologies, as indicated by palace representatives.
William will also participate in a summit organized by United for Wildlife, an initiative he co-founded with The Royal Foundation in 2013. This summit will bring together members from law enforcement, conservation groups, and businesses focused on tackling the illegal trade of wildlife products, an industry estimated to be worth around $20 billion annually.
This upcoming trip will mark William’s first visit to South Africa since 2010 and his first trip to Africa since 2018, when he journeyed to Namibia, Tanzania, and Kenya.
The prince has revealed that his motivation to establish the Earthshot Prize stemmed from his visit in 2018, during which he felt a sense of despair regarding environmental issues despite witnessing some conservation efforts in Namibia.
The Earthshot Prize is inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s 1962 “moonshot” speech that encouraged the U.S. to reach the moon by the decade’s end. Similarly, William and his team have set an ambitious target to identify effective solutions for climate change and other ecological challenges by 2030.
The prize awards 1 million pounds to winners in five categories: nature protection, clean air, ocean restoration, waste management, and climate change mitigation. Both the winners and all finalists receive support to expand their projects to respond to global needs.
As stated on its website, the Earthshot initiative aims to address the prevalent feelings of climate anxiety and despair, highlighting that “political actions are slow.” The goal is to ignite a sense of urgent optimism that can accelerate the development and implementation of environmental innovations crucial for restoring and rejuvenating the planet.