Prince William chooses Costa Rica as winner of inaugural Earthshot Prize Award

Country of Costa Rica on Sunday won the first-ever Earth shot Prizes organized by the UK’s Duke of Cambridge Prince William for the people that have been trying to save the Earth. According to British media reports, the Earth shot Prize, an ambitious Royal environmental program aimed at acknowledging efforts to tackle climate change and environmental crisis, was handed to the two best friends winners who have been dedicated to growing and conservation of the world’s coral. “Five global thinkers were each awarded a grant worth £1m (Rs 10 crores) to develop their ideas and technologies,” the reports suggest. There were a total of five winners announced in London, each receiving £1m. “Honored, grateful, and even more resolute in our mission in being recognized,” the Costa winners said. 

"Our Finalists all give us hope which, we are told, springs eternal. But we don’t have eternity. We need to do this now.  And over the next ten years, if we all put our minds to it, I believe we can,” said Council Member Sir David Attenborough in a broadcast message aired from the event. 

'Haven’t done enough to protect the planet,' Prince William warns 

Several celebrities swarmed the inaugural awards ceremony of Prince William’s Earth shot Prize, and the winners were announced by both The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The duo also held a video conference with winners after the prize declaration. Acclaimed Hollywood actors, including Emma Thompson, Emma Watson, and David Oyelowo joined Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, in handing out the awards at Alexandra Palace in north London. 

“I want to say something to all the young people watching tonight. For too long, we haven’t done enough to protect the planet for your future. But Earth shot is for you. In the next ten years, we are going to act. We are going to find the solutions to repair our planet,” Prince William said in his address ahead of announcing the winners that have been rigorously contributing towards environmental conservation and have been leading a global fight against climate change.  

“We are alive in the most consequential time in human history. The actions we choose or choose not to take in the next 10 years will determine the fate of the planet for the next thousand,” said Prince Williams in broadcast mesage. He added, “A decade doesn’t seem long, but humankind has an outstanding record of being able to solve the unsolvable. The future is ours to determine. And if we set our minds to it, nothing is impossible.”

According to the reports, the celebrity guests were asked to “consider the environment when choosing their outfit," one that represents the environmental cause. Therefore, Watson was seen donning the gown made of 10 dresses from the charity Oxfam, meanwhile, Kate wore the Alexander McQueen green dress made for her in 2011 representing the greenery, her husband, meanwhile was seen attired in an environmental-themed green velvet blazer and a polo neck. The prize was organized by William’s charity The Royal Foundation, which was inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s 1962 “Moonshot” speech that challenged and inspired Americans to go to the moon, reports suggest.