Prince William of Wales is making a brief two-day visit to New York City this week to promote and celebrate the selection of the finalists for the Earthshot Prize 2023.
The high-profile trip underscores William’s commitment to environmental issues and his key initiative to find solutions to the climate crisis.
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“It’s so good to be back in the United States,” he has written on his official X account @KensingtonRoyal.
It’s so good to be back in the United States. No one does optimism and ingenuity like the American people, so it’s only right we unveil this year's @Earthshotprize Finalists in New York City. [1/3]
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) September 18, 2023
Prince William in NYC: Earthshot Prize Finalists
The main purpose of William’s trip to New York is to unveil the finalists for the Earthshot Prize, an ambitious prize he launched in 2020 to incentivize change and help repair the planet over the next decade.
The prize aims to discover and scale innovative solutions in five categories: protecting nature, cleaning the air, revitalizing the oceans, building a world without waste, and fixing the climate.
Earthshot 2023 finalists will be announced Tuesday at the Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit.
Kate Middleton’s husband will deliver a speech at the event alongside speakers including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and the Earthshot winners’ global advisor, among others.
The summit will feature the innovative projects of the five finalists, who will receive a total of more than $1 million.
The third Earthshot Prize ceremony will be held in November in Singapore. The last award ceremony was held in Boston.
Meeting with the UN Secretary General
In addition to Earthshot-related activities, Prince William will also hold talks with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The meeting will take place during the UN General Assembly and the annual New York Climate Week.
William’s conversation with the UN leader reinforces his commitment to environmental activism on the world stage.
As a future king, William intends to use his platform to urge world leaders to cooperate and act on sustainability issues.
Oyster restoration project
Upon his arrival in New York, William first visited the Billion Oyster Project, a local initiative to restore oyster reefs in New York Harbor involving students and volunteers.
One oyster can filter 50 gallons of water a day! If you think that's mind-boggling, wait until you find out what the @BillionOyster Project is doing…
By restoring oysters to New York City's waterways through public education initiatives, they are… pic.twitter.com/dceUTyOAc2
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) September 18, 2023
Learning about grassroots initiatives like this coincides with William’s hands-on approach to conservation.
