Prince William to spotlight environmental solutions in Rio de Janeiro with Earthshot Prize awards

Britain's Prince William poses with the finalists of the Earthshot Prize Award at Christ the Redeemer statue, in Rio de Janeiro, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Eduardo Anizelli/Pool via AP)

RIO DE JANEIRO — Prince William is preparing to announce the winners of his annual Earthshot Prize in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday evening, the centrepiece of a three-day environment-focused trip in the Brazilian megalopolis before he heads to the United Nations Climate Summit COP30.

The Prince of Wales began his trip in Rio on Monday. Since then, he has met with former soccer player Cafu in Maracana stadium, played volleyball on Copacabana Beach and visited Sugarloaf Mountain.

Aside from visiting the city’s iconic sites, William’s engagements have focused on climate change and conservation. He attended a global wildlife summit and took a boat to the Guapimirim mangrove area in Guanabara Bay, where he took part in a planting activity.

William also met with Earthshot prize finalists at the Christ the Redeemer statue, as he took the annual awards ceremony to Latin America for the first time this week.

The heir to the British throne created the prize in 2020 to encourage inventors and entrepreneurs to develop technologies to combat global warming and mitigate its impact.

Set up through William’s Royal Foundation, the Earthshot prize will award US$1.3 million in grants to five businesses for their sustainable, eco-friendly innovations. Rio marks the halfway point for the venture, as he has committed himself to it for 10 years.

Selected from nearly 2,500 nominees from more than 70 countries, finalists include a Brazilian startup which restores forests with the help of artificial intelligence and a British company fighting microplastic pollution.

But it also includes the United Nations High Seas Treaty, which seeks to protect marine environments outside of national jurisdictions; the city of Guangzhou, China, a leader in the electrification of public transport; and Lagos Fashion Week, which promotes sustainable, craft-based clothing makers to counter the wave of fast-fashion rejects that literally wash up on African shores.

Stars including Anitta, Gilberto Gil, Kylie Minogue, Seu Jorge and Shawn Mendes will perform at the ceremony on Wednesday evening at the Museum of Tomorrow in downtown Rio.

Earthshot is one of William’s signature ideas, the type of project he may focus on when the time comes to ascend to the throne. His trip to Brazil is the latest installment in the monarchy’s drive to portray the prince as a statesman ready to be king.

After the awards, William will travel to the COP30 summit of world leaders in the Amazon city of Belem where politicians, environmental campaigners and community organizations will debate ways to accelerate efforts to cut the carbon emissions that cause global warming.

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Eléonore Hughes, The Associated Press