7 Sep 2025
Today, The Earthshot Prize announces its fifth cohort of Finalists, recognising solutions from different geographies, sectors and stages in their life cycle, dedicated to solving our planet’s greatest challenges.
Founded by HRH Prince William in 2020, this year’s Finalists represent exceptional climate leadership across a range of countries, sectors and business models to repair our planet.
The 15 Finalists are in the running to receive five £1 million prizes across five categories; Revive our Oceans, Fix our Climate, Build a Waste-free World, Protect and Restore Nature and Clean our Air. They join a historic coalition of leaders recognised as driving climate action and inspiring current and future generations to build a better future for people and planet.
The 2025 Winners will be announced at the fifth Earthshot Prize Awards, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Wednesday 5 November. The Awards Ceremony will be part of Earthshot Week, with events connecting the world’s most ambitious network of global leaders, innovators, funders, businesses, and communities to create opportunities that restore confidence in our ability to save the planet.
As we reach the halfway point of the Earthshot decade, I am truly inspired by this year’s Finalists, which embody the urgent optimism sitting right at the heart of our mission.
In just five years, The Earthshot Prize has shown that the answers to our planet’s greatest challenges not only already exist, but that they are firmly within our grasp.
The new Finalists join a community of 60 Finalists who are making significant progress in protecting and restoring our natural world.
Together, they’ve raised over $500m in funding, protected and restored over 1 million square kilometers of land and ocean, prevented over 250,000 tonnes of waste from reaching landfills and avoided 300,000kg of air pollutants. Their collective efforts have already reduced, avoided or captured over 4.8 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions to fix our climate for future generations. This includes progress by:
This year’s cohort were selected from nearly 2,500 nominees submitted by the Prize’s network of 575 nominators from 72 countries. The 15 Finalists were chosen based on assessments undertaken by The Earthshot Prize’s selection partners and Expert Advisory Panel, a global group of more than 100 subject-matter experts with deep backgrounds in conservation, science, technology, business, finance, academia and policy.
As in previous years, the five Winners of this year’s Prize will be selected by HRH Prince William and fellow members of the prestigious Earthshot Prize Council, a diverse group of individuals dedicated to protecting the climate and our natural environment. The Earthshot Prize Council is chaired by The Earthshot Prize Board of Trustees Chair, Dame Christiana Figueres, architect of the Paris Climate Accord.
At this pivotal halfway point in this decisive decade for our planet, it is a profound honour to lead The Earthshot Prize in highlighting these impressive solutions.
These 15 Finalists have emerged from a rigorous and truly global search which is designed to be inclusive and representative of the ingenuity rising in all sectors and across all corners of the world.
Our Finalists are extraordinary examples of climate leadership and a beacon for the urgent optimism we need to accelerate change.
Members of The Earthshot Prize Council are Prince William, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, Cate Blanchett, Indra Nooyi, José Andrés, Wanjira Mathai, Nemonte Nenquimo, Luisa Neubauer, Naoko Yamazaki, Ernest Gibson, and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Solutions selected align to the five ‘Earthshots’ – simple, ambitious and aspirational goals but more relevant than ever before.
The Finalists’ eligibility for one of five £1 million prizes is only the beginning of their Earthshot journey. Each Finalist will receive dedicated mentorship, resources and technical support to help accelerate the growth of their solution during The Earthshot Prize Fellowship Programme.
That support includes access to the Prize’s robust network of influential businesses, investors and climate experts, including The Earthshot Prize’s Global Alliance of Partners, comprised of some of the world’s largest businesses, donors, investors and environmental organizations committed to climate action.
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From a breakthrough microplastics filter and the world’s first fully upcycled skyscraper to the boldest reforestation and ocean protection initiatives ever.
