The Earthshot Prize, an environmental award pioneered by Britain’s Prince William, was awarded in Boston on Friday. Two of the fifteen finalists were Dutch, but they were not honored. Instead, projects from Kenya, India, Australia, the United Kingdom and Oman won prizes for solving the climate crisis.
“I believe the solutions presented tonight prove that we can overcome our planet’s greatest challenges,” Williams said at the ceremony, which was also attended by his wife, Catherine. “By supporting and expanding it, we can change our future,” he said. The winners in the five categories such as nature protection, clean air and waste-free living will receive one million pounds sterling (1.17 million euros).
Last year, the Earthshot Award was awarded for the first time. The name of the award refers to Moonshot’s ambition in the 1960s to put a human being on the moon within a decade.
The Dutch contenders were The Great Bubble Barrier, a curtain of air bubbles that keeps plastic out of rivers and seas, and the Municipality of Amsterdam, aiming to have a fully circular economy before 2050.
Before the ceremony, William met US President Joe Biden as part of a three-day visit to the US. During their brief meeting, the two talked about climate change, among other things.
