The Earthshot Prize is heading to Rio de Janeiro

The Earthshot Prize is heading to Brazil!

In a video announcement featuring the likes of Dame Christiana Figueres and Dame Jacinda Ardern, Cate Blanchett, David Beckham, and many more Earthshot Prize ambassadors, Rio de Janeiro has been revealed as the host city of this year’s Earthshot Prize ceremony.

Prince William, founder of The Earthshot Prize, said in a statement that Brazil is a “nation rich in biodiversity and environmental innovation” and that “we are seeing fresh momentum for new ideas to create healthier and safer ways to live our lives. It is an honour to profile the people making our world a better place for us and for our children.”

He added that, at the midway point of the Earthshot decade, “we’ve witnessed the remarkable power of human ingenuity in addressing our planet’s most pressing challenges.”

Alongside the news that the Earthshot Prize is headed to Rio de Janeiro, it was also revealed that 232 solutions have been submitted for prizing from Brazil and the wider South American continent, which is more than double the amount submitted for the 2024 Earthshot Prize.

“We’re thrilled to be coming to Brazil with The Earthshot Prize,” Dame Christiana Figueres said in a statement. “The world has so much to learn from the people and communities across Brazil, developing game-changing solutions that drive innovation and creativity, and unlock prosperity.”

Before the ceremony this November, The Earthshot Prize will make a tour across the five regions of Brazil to meet with entrepreneurs, start-ups, and other community groups to encourage new nominations and work with businesses to scale up projects.

Since its creation in 2020, The Earthshot Prize has awarded £20 million in prize money to help winners and finalists scale up their projects. Over 5,300 projects from 141 countries have been submitted.

Prizes are awarded at £1 million in five categories each year: Protect and Restore Nature; Clean Our Air; Revive Our Oceans; Build a Waste-Free World; and Fix Our Climate. Past ceremonies have taken place in London, Boston, Singapore, and Cape Town, South Africa.