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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visiting a melting glacier in Pakistan in October
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have announced a global prize to tackle climate issues, pledging “a decade of action to repair the Earth”.
Five winners will be chosen to receive the Earthshot Prize every year between 2021 and 2030.
The prize will fund collaboration between governments, businesses and communities.
Prince William said the world faces a “stark choice” between “irreparably” damaging the planet and… solutions”.
He made the announcement in a video narrated by Sir David Attenborough posted on social media.
The prize is set to launch officially later in 2020 – a year that will also see the Convention on Biodiversity in China in February and the COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November.
A series of challenges will be announced, aimed at finding least 50 solutions to the “world’s greatest problems” including climate change and air pollution.
More than 60 organisations and experts were consulted in the development the prize.
It will initially be run by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, but could become an independent organisation.
Kensington Place said it will be supported by philanthropists and organisations.
The prize’s name is inspired by former US President John F. Kennedy’s “Moonshot” – when he set a goal in 1961 to land American astronauts on the Moon before the end of the decade.
The Duke of Cambridge said: “The earth is at a tipping point and we face a stark choice: either we continue as we are and irreparably damage our planet or we remember our unique power as human beings and our continual ability to lead, innovate and problem-solve.”
The royal couple had trailed the announcement with a cryptic tweet on Monday, which read: “Stay tuned for our first announcement of 2020 very shortly…”
It is the latest in a string of public statements that the duke has made on environmental problems this year.
In October, he called for more education and political action to tackle climate change, as he and the duchess visited a melting glacier in Pakistan.
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He has also previously collaborated with Sir David, interviewing him at the World Economic Forum in January.
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