Prince William invoked the spirit of John F Kennedy in a new clip recorded for his Earthshot Prize award ceremony.
The Prince of Wales passionately compared his belief that humankind can repair the planet this decade to the late President’s dream of landing a man on the moon.
He said in the clip shown to the glitzy awards audience in Boston: “Of the many wonders of the natural world that surround each of us every day, it is only from space that we can fully comprehend the gift that is our home.
“Earth holds such splendour and gives us many things - beauty, curiosity, joy, and most importantly, Earth gives us life.”
The Prince of Wales added: “The urgency needed to save the planet is ever accelerating, while the time we have to make meaningful changes is ebbing away.
“But just as President John F. Kennedy had faith that humankind could put a man on the moon, I have the same faith today that we can repair and regenerate our planet in this critical decade.”
The £1m prestigious environmental prize, founded by the prince in 2020, aims to discover solutions which put humanity on a footing to a stable climate by 2030.
Speaking at a star-studded awards ceremony in Boston, which included David Beckham, Ellie Goulding and Billie Eilish, the Prince of Wales called for support to scale up the “transformative” work of the prize winners.
“I believe that the Earthshot solutions you have seen this evening prove we can overcome our planet’s greatest challenges,” said Prince William.
“And by supporting and scaling them we can change our future.
“Alongside tonight’s winners and finalists, and those to be discovered over the years to come, it’s my hope the Earthshot legacy will continue to grow, helping our communities and our planet to thrive.”
Each winner was chosen for how they respond to one of five key environmental challenges: Protect and Restore Nature; Clean our Air; Revive our Oceans; Build a Waste-free World; and Fix our Climate.
Among the winners were Notpla, a London-based startup, which produces a natural biodegradable plastic alternative made from seaweed which can be used to create a range of packaging products.
Indian start-up Kheyti, which offers an innovative ‘Greenhouse-in-a-box’ for small farm holders which reduces costs and increases yields, was also recognised.
Mukuru Clean Stoves scooped the top prize for its provision of cleaner-burning stoves to women in Kenya to reduce unhealthy indoor pollution and provide a safer way to cook.
Each winner was awarded a £1 million prize, with nominations judged by a panel including the Prince of Wales, Sir David Attenborough and Cate Blanchett.
The ceremony will be broadcast on Sunday, December 4 at 5:30pm on the BBC.
The Earthshot Prize will award five winners every year this decade.
