The United Kingdom Earthshot Prize launched by Sir David Attenborough and Prince William is looking for "brilliant" Projects to Save the Planet. They hope this becomes the "Nobel Prize for Environmentalism". They say the Search is on for 50 Solutions to the World's Gravest Environmental Problems by 2030. With £50m to be Awarded over a Decade, the "Earthshot Prize" is the Biggest Environmental Prize ever.
The Prince said "positivity" had been Missing from the Climate Debate, something the Award could Supply. "The Earthshot prize is really about harnessing that optimism and that urgency to find some of the world's solutions to some of the greatest environmental problems," he said. Anyone could win, he explained, as he called for "amazing people" to Create "brilliant innovative projects could save the planet".
The World is "at a tipping point", explained the Prince, who said the Earthshot Prize is his and Sir David's Effort to Ensure we hand the Planet on to our Children and Grandchildren "in a better state than we found it."
The Earthshot Prize will make Five Awards of £1m each year for 10 years. These "Earthshots" are intended as "universal goals to repair our planet by 2030" and will go to the Best and most Innovative Ideas to:
- Protect and Restore Nature
- Clean Our Air
- Revive our Oceans
- Build a Waste-Free World
- Fix Our Climate
They Hope that this Earthshot Prize reaches Everyone around the World. From: Communities; Schools; Banks; Governments; Corporations, Anyone and Everyone is a Part of this and Anyone could find the Solutions that we need.
"Even suggestions that may sound crackpot are welcome, so long as they have the potential to make a difference on what we called 'the world scale'. The aim is to find new solutions that have a positive effect on environmental change and improve living standards globally, particularly those communities most at risk from climate change." said Sir David
"There's a lot of people wanting to do many good things in the environment and what they need is a bit of a catalyst, a bit of hope, a bit of positivity that we can actually fix what's being presented", Prince William said.
The Prize could go to a New Technology, a New way of doing things or a New Policy, basically any Good Idea, from: Individuals; Community Groups; Scientists; Activists; Economists; Leaders; Government; Banks; Businesses; Cities; and even Countries are Welcome to Submit their Ideas to a Nominating Organisation.
The "Earthshot" Name was chosen to Echo the so-called "Moonshot": the Huge U.S. Project to get the First Person on the Moon back in the 1960s when John F Kennedy was President. Prince William and Sir David Attenborough believe a similarly Focussed Effort, but this time Global, is needed now to Tackle Environmental Issues.
"We are already seeing the coral reefs dying, forests disappearing, the North Pole beginning to melt, People can see it's happening and it is a matter of great urgency now." Prince William said. Sir David said the Aim is that the Prize will give Ideas "that strength, that financial impetus to spread and be developed."
Nominations will Open on November 1st, 2020, with an Annual Awards Ceremony to be held in a Different City each year, starting with London in the Autumn 2021. The £1m on Offer is designed as an Incentive for People to Apply, but don't think you can Book yourself a Caribbean holiday or buy yourself a Lamborghini if you Win, the Money must be Spent on Developing your Idea and trying to get it taken up around the World.
Prince William and Sir David will be joined on an "Earthshot Prize Council" by Celebrities from the Worlds of Entertainment, Sport, Business, Charity, and the Environment. They will act as Ambassadors, giving Publicity to the Prize and its Winners and helping Motivate People around the World to Environmental Action. Meanwhile a Coalition of Individuals, Businesses, and Organisations have provided the Money for the Prize and will Help Maximise the Impact of the Winners' Ideas.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
