Celebrities have taken climate change activism to a new level in what has been dubbed as the biggest environmental prize in history.
Prince William and the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have teamed up with 12 other prominent public figures to launch the Earthshot Environment Prize.
The prize aims to provide funding to critical projects that can help solve/prevent the damage caused to the planet as a result of climate change.
In a statement, Prince William commented that he felt it was “my job and my responsibility” to help develop solutions to climate change.
The Earthshot Environmental Prize is worth up to $65 million, an equal portion rewarded to five winners each year for the rest of the decade.
This means that a total of 50 people/groups will have been rewarded by the organisation, with 50 solutions to climate change being worked on.
Celebrities such as Sir David Attenborough, Shakira, Queen Rania of Jordan, Cate Blanchett and Dani Alves are amongst the list of 13 prominent faces at the head of the council.
Other members include Chadian geographer and activist Hindou Ibrahim, Nigerian economist Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, astronaut Naoko Yamazaki, Costa Rican diplomat Christiana Figueres, business mogul Indra Nooyi, philanthropist Jack Ma and basketball superstar Yao Ming.
These 13 members make up the council will decide the winners of the prize each year and continue with their own climate related advocacy.
On behalf of the council, Prince William commented in a statement that: “We believe this decade is one of the most crucial decades for the environment. And by 2030 we really hope to have made a huge stride in fixing some of the biggest problems on Earth.”
Cate Blanchett also said in a statement that she feels “humbled and invigorated to amongst such extraordinary activists, experts and leaders in the environmental sector”.
The initiative has 5 key goals they have identified as primary focuses. These are; protecting nature, cleaning our air, reviving our oceans, building a waste -free world and fixing our climate.
The Earthshot Prize is open to anyone who has an idea, or is developing an initiative that can radically help solve the key concerns of global climate change.
This includes individuals, organisations, businesses, scientists, leaders, activists, celebrities and even whole cities and countries.
Nominations for the first prizes will open on November 1 2020, with the award winners to be announced in an annual ceremony within the first half of 2021.
What do you think about the Earthshot Prize? Let us know in the comments.
