Launched in 2020 by Prince William, the Prize reflected his conviction that environmental progress depends not only on warning of what is at risk, but on identifying and accelerating solutions that already work.
Among the winners were Brazil’s re.green, Colombia’s City of Bogotá and the internationally negotiated High Seas Treaty. Their work ranged from large-scale reforestation in Brazil to urban transformation in Colombia, from technological ingenuity to international cooperation on the high seas.
City of Bogotá: Earthshot Prize Winner 2025 (Clean Our Air). Source: The Earthshot Prize, City of Bogotá winner profile.© The Earthshot Prize
At its core, the Earthshot Prize is not simply an award; it searches the globe for proven, scalable solutions to environmental challenges. Every year, hundreds of nominations are reviewed, first by a network of Official Nominators who bring an understanding of impactful work from their regions and sectors. These nominations are then screened and assessed before a shortlist of finalists is formed, typically around 15 initiatives globally.
From that list, a distinguished Prize Council, supported by experts from science, business and civil society, selects the five winners—one for each of the five Earthshots: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World, and Fix Our Climate.
Recognition, however, is only the beginning. All finalists also enter the Earthshot Fellowship Programme, a year of tailored support that helps accelerate and scale their impact through mentoring, networking and strategic partnerships.
re.green: Earthshot Prize Winner 2025 (Protect and Restore Nature). Source: The Earthshot Prize, re.green winner profile.© The Earthshot Prize
Unlike open contests where individuals submit directly, the Earthshot Prize requires nominations to be presented through an Official Nominator—a person or organisation selected by the Prize for their expertise and ability to recognise high-impact solutions. There are hundreds of such Nominators around the world, spanning sectors from conservation to technology.
This means that innovators seeking consideration for Earthshot typically do not submit directly to the prize team. Instead, they reach out to organizations listed as Official Nominators and engage them with information about their work. Some Nominators explicitly invite submissions from the public as part of their own process; others may review proposals internally before deciding whether to nominate them to the Earthshot jury.
For example, bodies like Innovate UK issue a call for “expressions of interest” from individuals, communities, businesses and organizzations whose solutions align with Earthshot priorities, and then evaluate those before forwarding the strongest candidates to the Earthshot nomination platform.
Earthshot does not look for ideas in the abstract. Its criteria emphasise solutions that have moved beyond concept and show evidence of real-world application, measurable impact, and potential for scalable replication. Nominations are screened against priority areas related to the five Earthshots, which include projects that:
This focus on demonstrated impact and readiness to scale is why many partners involved in the Prize engage in early screening. They assess not just technical feasibility but organisational maturity, inclusivity and the potential to accelerate positive environmental outcomes.
If you or your organisation believe you have a viable solution that aligns with the Earthshots, there are three clear avenues to start:
It is also worth noting that in some cases, organisations affiliated with particular regions or ecosystems may host their own open application forms or guidance pages for potential nominations before they are put forward to the Earthshot network.
The High Seas Treaty: Earthshot Prize Winner 2025 (Revive Our Oceans).Source: The Earthshot Prize, High Seas Treaty winner profile.© The Earthshot Prize
The search for solutions that could shape the 2026 Prize is already underway across the Nominator network and partner institutions. Those interested in being considered are encouraged to identify the closest Official Nominator in their region or sector and to initiate conversations early, ideally well before formal nomination windows open.
In this way, the Earthshot Prize becomes more than an annual award—it functions as a global platform of recognition and acceleration, connecting innovators to the financial, technical and cultural resources needed to transform promising ideas into demonstrable planetary impact. The distance from concept to planetary impact is long and uncertain. Earthshot does not shorten that journey, but it makes it possible.
