In 1961, U.S. President John F. Kennedy made a speech. He said he wanted to put a man on the Moon before 1970. People call this Kennedy’s “Moonshot” plan. In 1969, two astronauts walked on the Moon. Now, world leaders have a goal that’s closer to home. They created the Earthshot Prize — for our planet.
Five groups won the Earthshot Prize for 2023. Each one has worked to develop a solution for a problem on our planet. The winners were announced on November 7 in Singapore. Prince William (who created the Earthshot Prize) was there. There were awards for five categories. Those are nature, air, ocean, waste, and .
Nature: Acción Andina
The Andes Mountains rise high along the coast of South America. The area is home to many
, such as the Andean condor and the Andean bear. Acción Andina is helping to protect their
. The group has planted 6 million trees to support the native forests — and the animals that live there. Acción Andina works with
communities to protect the Andes far into the future.
Air: GRST
More people are driving electric cars. However, the batteries in those cars can create problems. Making batteries causes air pollution, and old batteries can produce tons of waste. GRST is building a cleaner battery. The company from China came up with a way to make batteries last longer. And GRST made it easier to recycle materials in the battery — including lithium. That means cleaner air for all.
Ocean: WildAid Marine Program
A healthy planet needs healthy oceans. That’s why there are laws to protect our seas. However, it isn’t easy to keep people from fishing illegally. WildAid Marine Program helps governments enforce their laws. It’s already working in Mexico, Palau, and Zanzibar. And it plans to reach more countries. Meaghan Brosnan leads WildAid. She said it’s “sparking a worldwide movement for ocean protection.”
Waste: S4S Technologies
Every year, more than 1 billion tons of food gets wasted. As waste rots, it creates carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air. That gas traps heat on the planet, causing climate change. S4S Technologies from India aims to solve this problem — and support female farmers. The group helps farmers find ways to use their crops before they waste away. For example, it makes dryers that make foods last longer.
Climate: Boomitra
The word boomitra means “friend of the earth” in the Sanskrit language. The company tries to be a friend to our planet by protecting its soil. Boomitra does that by training farmers to manage their land. The result is more food — and more CO2 in the ground (instead of the air). That can limit climate change. Boomitra already works with 150,000 farmers in Africa, Asia, and South America. And it wants to help many more.
Each winner of the Earthshot Prize earns a $1.2 million prize. The groups can use that money to grow — and do more good work across the planet.
Updated November 7, 2023, 5:02 P.M. (ET)
By Russell Kahn (Russ)
