Year 2 of The Earthshot Prize: HM Ambassador meets Greek Official Nominators

Created by HRH The Duke of Cambridge and The Royal Foundation, The Earthshot Prize is the most exciting global environment prize in history, designed to discover and scale the best solutions to repair our planet over the next 10 years.
After a breakthrough first year awarding £1 million each to 5 incredible Winners, The Earthshot Prize is searching to find the next cohort of ground-breaking eco-innovators
5 Official Nominators representing Greece are included amongst the total of over 300 hand-picked Official Nominators, representing over 80 countries worldwide, who will nominate the best and brightest solutions from around the world with the potential to repair and regenerate the planet

In its second year, The Earthshot Prize continues its ambitious search for the world’s greatest eco-innovators and their breakthrough solutions, expanding its network of Nominators with over 300 organisations from more than 80 countries – including 5 organisations from Greece – representing not-for-profit, foundation, investment, corporate, academic, governmental and community led organisations.

Each of these organisations are searching their expert networks and communities to find truly ground-breaking eco-solutions that can repair and regenerate the planet, and will submit their nominations by 4 March 2022. Throughout the year, these nominations will be assessed and evaluated to discover the 5 Winners for 2022, who will each receive a £1 million grant to scale the impact of their work.

Last year, the 5 Winners provided solutions that included coral reef farming, pioneering green hydrogen, entrepreneurial technology to access to electricity in energy-poor countries, a city-wide food programme to eliminate waste, and a country-wide policy to halt deforestation and protect the rainforest.

HRH The Duke of Cambridge said:

The 2021 Winners and Finalists have set the bar incredibly high. I can’t wait to see what solutions the Prize helps to champion this coming year. In 2022, we are determined to go further by seeking even more nominations from every corner of the world, ensuring that we spotlight and scale the very best ideas and innovations that will put our planet on a sustainable path and protect our world for generations to come.

This year the 5 Greek Official Nominators are: Common Seas, Cyclades Preservation Fund (CPF), EPLO Institute for Sustainable Development, Organisation Earth, and PCAI – Polygreen Culture & Art Initiative. HM Ambassador to Greece Matthew Lodge had the opportunity to meet with representatives of all 5 Greek Nominators and discuss the impact of The Earthshot Prize’s reinforced reach in Southern Europe, highlighting the importance of these organisations’ role in the nomination process and the significance of their contribution to the ultimate objective of the Prize.

HM Ambassador Matthew Lodge stated:

Following a successful inaugural year for The Earthshot Prize, launched by His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge in October 2020, I am delighted that for 2022, we are extending the initiative to include five Official Nominators from across the environment, science and climate community in Greece. With their first-hand knowledge of the hundreds of individuals and groups who are active in Greece and who are deeply committed to protecting the environment and its biodiversity, these nominators can play a vital role. As we all know, there is immense talent in Greece and I am confident that we will hear more about some of the remarkable innovative work that is being done, irrespective of who the eventual prize Winners are this year.

As recent events have reminded us, the challenge presented by Climate Change is real. The United Kingdom is committed to working with our international partners and with civil society, businesses and people on the frontline of climate change so that we can inspire positive Climate Action. Throughout this year of the UK’s COP26 Presidency, we continue to work to promote global ambition towards a zero-carbon economy.

The Earthshot Prize has identified ‘tipping point’ sectors, which have the potential to generate significant impact in the next five years and accelerate positive change, in areas including: personal transportation, regenerative agriculture, future-fit buildings, and extending the life of fashion, food and plastic products. The Prize is seeking nominations in these areas, and will also prioritise indigenous, and women-led solutions, Web3.0 enabled solutions, nominations that unlock new financial models which value nature, and finally, wild cards – the out-of-the-box, blue sky solutions that have transformative impact potential.

The Earthshot Prize nominations will go through an independent assessment process run by Deloitte, which will lead to a longlist of 30 nominations. A panel of independent experts, will advise on Finalists, and The Earthshot Prize Council including Prince William, Sir David Attenborough, Shakira and Christiana Figueres, will select the 5 Winners, each of which will win £1m in prize money. Finalists of The Earthshot Prize, to be announced later in the year, will access a unique platform of support and will attend a magical Awards Ceremony to be broadcast globally at the end of 2022.

Further information

For more information about The Earthshot Prize, visit: www.earthshotprize.org

If you are interested in being considered for a nomination, reach out to one of the 5 Official Nominators in Greece: earthshotprize.org/awards/nominators/

British Embassy Athens supports the climate agenda and encourages dialogue and best practices on this issue. Anyone interested can find out more about our initiatives via our social media accounts: UK in Greece on Facebook, @ukingreece on Twitter and on the Twitter account of HM Ambassador Matthew Lodge @FCDOMJLodge.