In a spectacular tribute to innovation and environmental excellence, the winners of the 2024 Earthshot Prize were announced during a dazzling awards ceremony held in Cape Town.
The event, featuring a grand Green Carpet arrival, was co-hosted by Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award-winning star Billy Porter alongside South African television presenter Bonang Matheba.
Broadcast live across 50 African countries, the ceremony celebrated groundbreaking environmental solutions and highlighted the vital work being done to protect the planet.
Coinciding with the awards, Prince William embarked on a poignant journey retracing his mother, Princess Diana's, legacy in South Africa, particularly in Ocean View.
During his visit, he engaged with local youth and emphasized the importance of community resilience and environmental initiatives.
Through his social media platforms, the Prince shared moments from his travels, including playing rugby with young students from Ocean View High School, Masiphumelele, and Langa Townships, as part of the Atlas Foundation’s initiative promoting sports and digital skills training.
His official Instagram captured his interactions, stating: “Joining students from Ocean View, Masiphumelele and Langa Townships taking part in rugby coaching and digital skills classes with the support of @theatlascharity.
“Great to also be joined by Springbok legends Joel Stransky, Percy Montgomery and The Beast to see how these programmes use the power of sport to transform the lives of these amazing young people.”
His ease during public engagements was further illustrated by breaking royal protocol, sharing selfies and a video of his early morning hike up Signal Hill with Australian environmentalist Robert Irwin.
The Prince also took time out to rub shoulders with Rachel Kolisi, the soon to be ex-wife of the Springbok captain Siya Kolisi.
The awards ceremony, held in The Earthshot Prize Dome - an impressive eco-friendly structure built beside Cape Town Stadium - was notable for its own environmental credentials.
This groundbreaking venue, one of the largest of its kind in Africa, is 36 metres wide and 15.5 metres high. The hosting of this event also provided a significant boost to Cape Town’s creative industries, creating around 650 local jobs.
This year, the Earthshot Prize recognised five remarkable winners selected from a pool of 15 finalists, each receiving £1 million to further their impactful projects aimed at tackling urgent environmental challenges.
The winners included:
Fix Our Climate: Advanced Thermovoltaic Systems, USA - For technology that captures waste heat from heavy industries to generate electricity, with the potential to save gigatonnes of CO2 emissions.
Revive Our Oceans: High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, Global - An alliance of 119 countries striving to meet the 30×30 conservation target to protect 30% of land and oceans by 2030.
Build a Waste-Free World: Keep IT Cool, Kenya - Offering sustainable refrigeration solutions to prevent food spoilage, enhancing market access for small farmers and fishers.
Protect and Restore Nature: Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative, Kazakhstan - Celebrated for saving the critically endangered Saiga antelope and preserving the Golden Steppe.
Clean Our Air: Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO), Ghana - A youth-led initiative focusing on waste management and significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Prince William congratulates the five Winners of The Earthshot Prize 2024 and shares his words of optimism. It's time to repair and regenerate our planet. @KensingtonRoyal #EarthshotCapeTown pic.twitter.com/FvQsJ8XeGh
— The Earthshot Prize (@EarthshotPrize) November 6, 2024
During the ceremony, Prince William encapsulated the spirit of the Earthshot initiative, stating: “I believe our world can be rich in possibility, in hope, and in optimism. That is why The Earthshot Prize exists.
“To champion the game-changers, the inventors, the makers, the creatives, the leaders; to help them build upon the amazing things they’ve already achieved; to speed their innovations to scale and to inspire the next generation to create the future we all need.”
venecia.america@inl.co.za