Speaking about Tuesday’s star-studded awards ceremony and his ambitions for his beloved Earthshot Prize going forward, Prince William insisted that every year it needs to get “bigger”.
“I think the big thing for me is that this year feels bigger than last year, so we’re progressing and we’re building as we go…the key aim is that every year we’ve got to get bigger and reach more people,” he said.
He hailed the impact investment side – aimed at scaling up the Earthshot innovations – as “crucial,” adding: “We’re not just an award ceremony. People think this is philanthropy. They think it’s just a prize ceremony. It’s not, this is so much more.”
When Prince William founded the environmental award in 2020, he did so with the 10-year mission to find ways to protect and repair the environment with innovative solutions.
It awards five £1 million prizes annually across the “Earthshot” themes of clean air, oceans, waste-reduction, climate change and restoring nature.
Over the last year, the Earthshot Prize cohort has benefitted 1.5 million people globally, restored 2.1 million hectares of the ocean and sequestered 35,000 tonnes of C02 emissions.
Speaking after Earthshot+, the Prince explained: “It’s about how much impact can we achieve by scaling and building up and spotlighting these incredible people with brilliant solutions.
“We’ve just got to join some more dots between policy regulators, government’s money, and then you blend it all together and then see the impact from that.”
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
