The Earthshot Prize and Bloomberg Philanthropies Unite Global Leaders, Investors, and Activists to Propel Climate Solutions, Scale Resilient Innovations, and Celebrate Environmental Champions
The Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit unveiled the 2024 Earthshot Prize Finalists while spotlighting the progress of past Finalists and Winners in scaling solutions to repair our planet by 2030
Speakers at the Summit included: José Andrés, Jacinda Ardern, Michael R. Bloomberg, Benedict Cumberbatch, Matt Damon, Joel Embiid, and Christiana Figueres
New York, NY – Today, Bloomberg Philanthropies and The Earthshot Prize convened global leaders from business, philanthropy, investment, and government for the third annual Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit in New York. The summit, held against the backdrop of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly and New York Climate Week, focused on accelerating the development and scaling of cutting-edge climate solutions. The Summit also unveiled the 15 2024 Earthshot Prize Finalists, each eligible to receive one of five £1 million prizes to be awarded at The Earthshot Prize awards ceremony in Cape Town, South Africa, on 6 November 2024.
Founded by HRH Prince William, The Earthshot Prize is the world’s most prestigious environmental prize, dedicated to discovering, spotlighting, and helping scale innovative solutions required to repair and regenerate the planet. The summit brought together Earthshot Prize Finalists and Winners with business leaders, philanthropists, investors, and government leaders to strengthen the power of the global Earthshot community.
In his opening remarks, Michael R. Bloomberg, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions and Global Advisor to the Winners of The Earthshot Prize, said, “climate change is both an enormous challenge and an incredible opportunity to build a better, healthier, more prosperous future. The same innovations that will reduce carbon pollution will improve people’s lives and strengthen our economies. Supporting that spirit of innovation and collaboration is what the Earthshot Prize is all about, and this impressive group of finalists offers more reason to be hopeful that we will win the battle against climate change.”
During the Summit, Prince William shared a video message, where he said, “I’m delighted to introduce you to this year’s 15 new Earthshot Prize finalists. These solutions are some of the most exciting, innovative, and impactful we’ve seen. And the people behind them are true inspirations.”
Joining Prince William in his video message announcing the 2024 Earthshot Prize Finalists, Actor and Activist Jane Fonda highlighted the importance of environmental activism, saying, “I know that this is going to be my life’s work for as long as the planet will have me around. And I’m so grateful to be joined in this fight by climate champions all around the world. That includes leaders and philanthropists like Prince William and Michael Bloomberg, as well as The Earthshot Prize winners and finalists whose groundbreaking work we’ve celebrated today.”
The Summit showcased an inspiring lineup of speakers including Hannah Jones, CEO of The Earthshot Prize; José Andrés, Founder, World Central Kitchen and Earthshot Prize Council Member; Rt Hon Dame Jacinda Ardern, Trustee, The Earthshot Prize; Matt Damon, Co-Founder, Water.org and WaterEquity; Joel Embiid, Cameroonian-American Professional Basketball Player; Mark Carney, UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance and Co-Chair of Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero; Dame Christiana Figueres, Chair, The Earthshot Prize; Jane Fonda, Actor and Activist, via a special video message; Maya Gabeira, Big Wave Surfer and Ambassador, Oceana; Wanjira Mathai, Managing Director, Africa and Global Partnerships at World Resources Institute and Earthshot Prize Council Member; Bonang Matheba, South African Broadcaster and Businesswoman; Masai Ujiri, Vice Chairman and President, Toronto Raptors and Co-Founder, Giants of Africa; and Gary White, CEO & Co-Founder, Water.org and WaterEquity.
During a panel discussion on scaling solutions at speed, Matt Damon, Co-Founder, Water.org and WaterEquity, said, “In 2012, we celebrated the first million people that we reached, and as of right now, we’ve reached 69 million people…had we stayed with traditional charity, with the model of just drilling wells, it would have taken us 600 years to get where we are right now.”
Building momentum for the Earthshot Prize Awards in Cape Town later this year, Cameroonian-American NBA star Joel Embiid highlighted African climate innovation, saying, “I want people to understand, look at my story; I wasn’t supposed to be here. But I also put the work in because of what was given to me, and I took advantage of it. There’s a lot of people that are waiting for that opportunity. Looking at my story, I want people to dream and believe that it is possible.”
During a panel discussion, Rt Dame Hon Jacinda Ardern, Trustee, The Earthshot Prize said, “Politicians are not the only players on the field. Every single person in this room, regardless of how fast governments are moving, can still make a difference. So, do not be disheartened by the speed of the game.”
The Summit concluded by unveiling the fourth class of 15 Earthshot Prize Finalists, an inspiring cohort of global innovators, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and advocates pioneering solutions to our most pressing climate and environmental challenges in the categories Protect and Restore Nature; Clean our Air; Revive our Oceans; Build a Waste-Free World; and Fix our Climate. Hailing from six continents, the 15 Finalists – selected from nearly 2,500 nominees submitted by the Prize’s global nominator network of experts, the most nominees to date – include several firsts for The Prize, including the first Finalists from Ecuador, France, Ghana, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, and Nepal. Each of the 15 Finalists is in the running to receive five catalytic £1 million prizes, to be awarded at the Earthshot Prize Awards in Cape Town, South Africa, 6 November. See the full list of 2024 Earthshot Prize Finalists here.
Building anticipation for the Earthshot Prize awards ceremony in Cape Town, South Africa in November, Wanjira Mathai, Managing Director, Africa and Global Partnerships, World Resources Institute, said, “The world will not address its climate, and I say our Climate and Development Goals, if we do not unleash the promise of Africa’s climate solutions. That’s a partnership story: public, private, philanthropic, all of us.”
Attendees included Justin Bibb, Mayor of Cleveland, OH; Jay Inslee, Governor of Washington; Brad Keywell, Founder & Executive Chairman, Uptake Technologies; Gina McCarthy, Managing Co-Chair, America Is All In, and first White House National Climate Advisor and U.S. EPA Administrator; Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN Special Envoy for Financing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda; Susan Rockefeller, Founder, Musings; Shamina Singh, Founder & President, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and Executive Vice President, Sustainability at Mastercard; and Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Founder and CEO, Hip Hop Caucus.
The 2023 Earthshot Prize Finalists and Winners that attended the Summit included: Orianna Bretschger, CEO, Aquacycl; Meaghan Brosnan, CEO, WildAid Marine Programme; Constantino Aucca Chutas, Co-Founder, Acción Andina; Sam Elsom, CEO, Sea Forest; Gunnlaugur Erlendsson, CEO, ENSO; Andrzej Gula, Co-Founder, Polish Smog Alert; Frank Harley, Chief Strategy Officer, GRST; Christopher Hunter, COO, Colorifix; Florent Kaiser, Co-Founder, Acción Andina; Manja Kargbo, Team Lead, Freetown the Treetown; Peter Majeranowski, CEO, Circ; Aadith Moorthy, CEO, Boomitra; Nidhi Pant, Co-Founder, S4S; Marcelo Pereti, CFO, Belterra; Serge Raemaekers, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Abalobi; and Rocky Tirona, Managing Director, Coastal 500. Many of the 2024 Finalists announced at the Summit were also in attendance.
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About the Earthshot Prize:
For more information about The Earthshot Prize, visit: earthshotprize.org.
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Founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation in 2020, The Earthshot Prize is a global environmental prize to discover, accelerate and scale ground-breaking solutions to repair and regenerate the planet. Inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s Moonshot, which united millions of people around the goal of reaching the moon, The Earthshot Prize aims to catalyze an Earthshot challenge to urgently encourage and scale innovative solutions that can help put the world firmly on a trajectory towards a stable climate, where communities, oceans and biodiversity thrive in harmony by 2030. The five challenges are: Protect and Restore Nature; Clean Our Air; Revive Our Oceans; Build a Waste-Free World; and Fix Our Climate.
The Prize aims to turn the current pessimism surrounding environmental issues into optimism by championing inspiring leadership and helping to scale incredible cutting-edge solutions. It will discover 50 winners over 10 years with the power to repair the planet. More than an award, The Earthshot Prize works in partnership with a Global Alliance of Partners to support the scaling of the solutions discovered and selected each year.
The Global Alliance Founding Partners are a group of leading global organizations and philanthropists, which act as strategic funding partners to the Prize, including Aga Khan Development Network, Bezos Earth Fund, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Breakthrough Energy Foundation, Coleman Family Ventures, DP World in partnership with Dubai EXPO 2020, Eleven Eleven Foundation, Holch Povlsen Foundation, Jack Ma Foundation, Law Family Charitable Foundation, Legado Para A Juventude, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Marc and Lynne Benioff, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, Rob Walton Foundation, Sandy and Paul Edgerley and Standard Chartered Bank.
Global Alliance Partners are non-profit environment and sustainable development organizations that bring expertise, global reach and serve as nominating organizations each year. For the full list see website: Global Alliance – Earthshot Prize.
Global Alliance Members are some of the world’s largest and most influential companies and brands that will support The Earthshot Prize, implement ambitious changes within their businesses and accelerate the advancement of the solutions of Prize Finalists and Winners. They are: Arup, Bloomberg L.P., Deloitte, Herbert Smith Freehills, Hitachi, Ingka Group (IKEA), Microsoft, The Multichoice Group, Natura &Co, Safaricom, Salesforce, Unilever, Vodacom Group and Walmart.
About Bloomberg Philanthropies:
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. In 2023, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $3 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, Facebook, and X.
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