Prince William warned that global efforts to address environmental crises are moving too slowly, issuing his call for acceleration alongside the revelation of fifteen global finalists for The Earthshot Prize. Five category winners will each receive a £1 million prize at the upcoming Mumbai ceremony in November.
The urgency of the moment frames the sixth annual cycle of the environmental initiative, established in 2020. With nearly 7,000 nominations submitted across 169 countries, the selection process narrows down to fifteen finalists tackling everything from clean energy to waste reduction.
Global Finalists and the Path to the Mumbai Ceremony
The finalists span diverse international efforts, highlighting grassroots resilience alongside technological innovation. Among them are Indigenous ranger teams in Australia and an Argentinian artificial intelligence-powered wildfire detection and alert platform, according to the updated prize details. Two of the selected contenders hail from India, which serves as the host nation for this year’s awards: Mahindra Last Mile Mobility, a manufacturer of electric three-wheelers, and the Mahila Housing Trust, a grassroots organization advancing climate resilience for low-income women.
The finalists were selected from nearly 7,000 nominations submitted across 169 countries. The finalists also include a range of community-led initiatives tackling environmental challenges such as waste reduction, nature restoration, and clean energy.
Five winners—representing the core categories of protect and restore nature, revive our oceans, clean our air, build a waste-free world, and fix our climate—will be announced during the November ceremony. Each winner secures a £1 million ($1.33 million) prize to help expand their project.
Prince William and The Earthshot Prize Council
The Earthshot Prize Council, responsible for selecting the victors, unites notable figures across diplomacy, the arts, and culinary leadership. Alongside Prince William, the council includes Queen Rania al-Abdullah of Jordan, actress Cate Blanchett, and chef José Andrés.
Speaking amid the unveiling of the finalists, Prince William stressed that technological answers already exist, but deployment remains sluggish.
Prince William told the BBC that the solutions are already here and that the primary challenge now lies in scaling them up. Prince William, via BBC
He added that the demonstrated progress demands immediate acceleration, which serves as the foundational purpose of the prize.
Prince William stated that the progress achieved is real, emphasized the urgent need to accelerate it, and noted that this is precisely why The Earthshot Prize exists. Prince William, via BBC
A Collaboration Between Bollywood and the British Royal Family
In a surprising cross-cultural move, Indian filmmaker Karan Johar will host the Earthshot Prize 2026 awards ceremony scheduled for November 17 in Mumbai, India. On Friday, September 18, it was revealed that the filmmaker will sit together for a special cause in a surprising collaboration between Bollywood and the British Royal Family.
The filmmaker, currently hosting The Traitors India, shared his perspective on working alongside the British Royal Family with international media outlets, describing his passion for the cause as “infectiousand noting that it was a
privilege” to work so closely with the Earthshot Prize and William.
Johar praised the royal’s commitment, noting that his dedication to environmental advocacy stands out on a global scale.
Johar shared with the outlet that he considers Prince William to be a massive contributor to the discussion surrounding climate change, noting that for someone of his global stature and power to champion a cause so relentlessly, effortlessly, and passionately truly makes all the difference. Karan Johar, via PEOPLE
Urgent Calls for Business Leaders and Investors
According to statements released during the finalists’ announcement, current mobilization timelines fail to match the velocity of ecological disruption.
William remarked that they are simply not moving fast enough. Prince William, via Jang
The call to action targets commercial entities capable of directing capital toward proven ecological fixes.
Prince William emphasized the need for more businesses, investors, and leaders to step up, support what is already working, and help bring those solutions to scale. Prince William, via Jang
As preparations continue for the Mumbai gathering, attention turns toward how the five selected £1 million recipients will deploy their funding to expand operations globally.