by Prince William has invoked the spirit of John F. Kennedy in a new clip recorded for the Earthshot Prize awards ceremony.
The Prince of Wales passionately compared his belief that humanity could fix the planet this decade to the late President’s dream of landing a man on the moon.
He said in the clip shown to the lavish awards audience in Boston: “Of the many wonders of the natural world that surround each of us every day, it is only from space that we can fully understand the gift that is our home.
“The Earth holds such a splendor and gives us many things: beauty, curiosity, joy and most importantly, the Earth gives us life.”
The Prince of Wales added: “The urgency needed to save the planet is ever accelerating, while the time available to us to make meaningful change is decreasing.
“But just as President John F. Kennedy believed humanity could put a man on the moon, I have the same faith today that we can repair and regenerate our planet in this critical decade.”
The prestigious £1million environmental prize, established by the prince in 2020, aims to discover solutions that put humanity on the foundation of a stable climate by 2030.
Speaking at a star-studded awards ceremony in Boston that included David Beckham, Ellie Goulding and Billie Eilish, the Prince of Wales called for support to step up the award winners’ “transformative” work.
“I believe the Earthshot solutions you saw tonight demonstrate that we can overcome our planet’s greatest challenges,” said Prince William.
“And by supporting and scaling them we can change our future.
“Alongside tonight’s winners and finalists and those to be discovered in the years to come, I hope Earthshot’s legacy continues to grow, helping our communities and planet thrive.”
Each winner was chosen for how they respond to one of five major environmental challenges: protecting and restoring nature; Clean our air; Revive our oceans; Build a world without waste; and fix our climate.
Among the winners was Notpla, a London-based startup that produces an algae-based biodegradable natural plastic alternative that can be used to create a range of packaging products.
Indian start-up Kheyti was also recognized, offering an innovative ‘greenhouse box’ for smallholder farmers that cuts costs and boosts yields.
Mukuru Clean Stoves has been awarded the first prize for providing cleaner stoves to women in Kenya to reduce unhealthy indoor pollution and provide a safer way to cook.
Each winner received a £1million prize, with nominations judged by a panel that included the Prince of Wales, Sir David Attenborough and Cate Blanchett.
The ceremony will be broadcast on Sunday 4 December at 5.30pm on the BBC.
The Earthshot Prize will award five winners each year this decade.
