Announcement Made: Recipients of Prince William's 2023 Earthshot Prize Revealed
An Indian agritech startup empowering female farmers with solar-powered dehydration equipment has emerged victorious among the five groundbreaking innovations recognized for the esteemed 2023 Earthshot Prize by Prince William
An agritech startup based in India, dedicated to reducing food waste among female farmers, has been awarded the esteemed Earthshot Prize by His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales. Their innovative solution involves solar-powered dehydration equipment.
The annual eco-awards winners were unveiled on Tuesday evening at a glamorous ceremony held at the Theatre at MediaCorp in Singapore. Each recipient will receive £1 million (approximately $1.2 million) to further expand their groundbreaking initiatives.
Prince William and the Royal Foundation embarked on a bold 10-year endeavor in 2020. Their objective is to fund 50 innovative solutions to tackle the world's most pressing environmental issues by 2030.
"Let us believe that future generations will perceive this decade as the turning point when we, as a global community, united to make a difference for our planet. It is the moment we rejected the voices of denial and pessimism, and assumed the role of creators, forging a path towards a thriving and sustainable world," expressed William during the ceremony.
The 2023 Earthshot Prize winners:
The winners of this year's competition were selected by Prince William and the Earthshot Prize Council, led by Christiana Figueres, the former UN climate chief who played a pivotal role in negotiating the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015. Joining them on the judging panel were Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, activist Ernest Gibson, and Alibaba founder Jack Ma, among others.
The competition revolves around five "Earthshots," which are environmental objectives. The winners for this year are as follows:
- Protect and Restore Nature: Acción Andina from Peru. This grassroots initiative operates in South America and aims to safeguard the native forest ecosystems throughout the Andes.
- Enhancing Air Quality: GRST, a Hong Kong-based start-up, has innovated a novel technique for manufacturing and reusing lithium-ion batteries, advancing the objective of making future electric vehicles even more eco-friendly.
- Restoring Our Seas: WildAid Marine Program, a worldwide organization headquartered in the United States, employs collaborative efforts and knowledge exchange to address the urgent requirements of ocean conservation on our planet.
- Introducing S4S Technologies from India: Pioneering a Waste-Free World. This innovative agritech start-up utilizes solar-powered dehydration equipment to reduce food waste and empower farmers to transform surplus crops into long-lasting products.
- Meet Boomitra: Leading the Charge in Climate Solutions. Headquartered in the US, this global organization is tackling emissions and enhancing farmer incomes by incentivizing land restoration through their groundbreaking soil carbon marketplace.
Prince William dresses sustainably for the occasion, wearing a velvet green blazer he previously wore to the inaugural prize ceremony in London in 2021.
Hannah Waddingham from "Ted Lasso" and American actor Sterling K. Brown co-hosted the extravagant evening. The event also featured celebrity presenters such as Academy Award-winning actor Cate Blanchett, South African actress Nomzamo Mbatha, and wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin, who joined the 41-year-old royal in revealing the winners.
At the awards ceremony, the show included stunning musical performances by Bastille, accompanied by the Voices of Singapore choral society. OneRepublic also took the stage, delivering electrifying renditions of their smash hits "Counting Stars" and "I Ain't Worried." Prior to the ceremony, while speaking with CNN on the green carpet, Irwin expressed that the incentivized award scheme represents a remarkable acknowledgment of the significant progress being made in the environmental sector.
"It is truly inspiring to witness, as I often feel that in my generation, we are constantly bombarded with news of the distressing events occurring on our planet," expressed the 19-year-old Australian son of the renowned "Crocodile Hunter," Steve Irwin.
Irwin further emphasized that the Earthshot Prize provides a beacon of "hope," a vital sentiment that we must all grasp onto.
The Singapore skyline was lit up in green to celebrate the Earthshot Prize on Monday.
Figueres, an Earthshot Prize trustee, praised Prince William's unwavering commitment to the fight against climate change, emphasizing that his actions were not motivated by mere publicity.
"He is driven by a strong conviction and genuine belief in this cause. His passion is undeniable," she remarked. "He sets high expectations for all of us, consistently doing thorough research and consistently challenging us in our meetings with thought-provoking questions that push us to exceed our current capabilities."
Concluding his four-day visit to Singapore, the Prince of Wales' visit culminates with the prestigious Earthshot Prize awards ceremony on Wednesday.
The prince expressed his excitement about being in Singapore for the third Earthshot Prize ceremony and shared his vision for supporting this year's shortlist of finalists.
"Now, it's all about scalability. My role is to attract funds, capital, and involvement from the private sector to advance the Earthshot initiative and drive the implementation of innovative solutions. Let's push the boundaries and ask ourselves, 'How can we amplify our efforts? How can we make a greater impact?'" William elaborated.
Prince William taking part in a Dragon Boat race in Singapore.
The royal expressed his aim for the eco-awards to promote positive solutions and commended the group of finalists, emphasizing the importance of providing them with support to amplify their impact over the next decade.
This marks the third installment of the Earthshot Prize, following previous ceremonies held in Boston in December and in London the year before.
The awards ceremony will be broadcast globally on BBC, PBS and online from November 12.
