Prince William has launched a new prize in a bid to "repair the planet" in the next decade, saying the Earth is now at a "tipping point."
The Earthshot Prize was unveiled with a brief video voiced by veteran broadcaster Sir David Attenborough in a post on the Kensington Palace Twitter account. "Who is ready to lead as we make the 2020s a decade of action to repair our planet?" a caption alongside the clip said. "Introducing the @EarthshotPrize."
"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 Duke of Cambridge said in a statement shared on Twitter.
He added: "People can achieve great things. The next ten years present us with one of our greatest tests—a decade of action to repair the Earth."
The minute-long promotional clip describes the prize as the "most prestigious environment prize in history" and one inspired by the moon landing in 1969.
"Ours is a world of wonder. Every day, it reminds us of its beauty but it also warns us that we can no longer take life as we know it for granted," Attenborough explains in a voiceover.
"But humans have an extraordinary power to solve the greatest of challenges, the most audacious of them all: to land a man on the moon. The moonshot— a seemingly impossible task that over a single decade became a reality and along the way, united the world.
"This year, Prince William and a global alliance launch the most prestigious environment prize in history: The Earthshot Prize."
On its website, The Earthshot Prize is described as "an ambitious set of challenges to inspire a decade of action to repair the planet" and hopes it will provide at least 50 solutions to the world's greatest problems by 2030.
Prizes will reward "progress across all sectors of industry and society" and be awarded to "anyone who is making a substantial development or outstanding contribution to solving our environmental challenges."
They could be awarded to a wide range of individuals, teams or collaborations– including scientists, activists, economists, leaders, governments, banks, businesses, cities, and countries, the website adds.
"Just as the moonshot that John F. Kennedy proposed in the 1960s catalysed new technology such as the MRI scanner and satellite dishes, we want our Earthshot challenges to create a new wave of ambition and innovation around finding ways to help save the planet," the website explains.
"The challenges will be a chance for everyone's voice to be heard, we want to motivate and inspire a new generation of thinkers, leaders and dreamers."
The website explains that a number of Earthshot challenges will be unveiled in special events around the globe "seeking answers to the biggest issues facing the planet", including climate and energy, biodiversity, oceans, air pollution and fresh water.
The Earthshot Prize will be awarded to five winners every year over the next decade. An annual ceremony will be held in different cities across the globe between 2021 and 2030.
Reuters reported the prize is worth multi-millions, but no specific details on the size of the prizes or how they will be funded have yet been revealed. Kensington Palace has been contacted for comment.
https://www.newsweek.com/prince-william-launches-environment-prize-repair-planet-1479823
2019-12-31 13:57:38Z
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