Ahead of COP30, which officially kicks off today, the winners of the 2025 Earthshot Prize have been announced. The awards, which were founded in 2020, look to honour and support projects seen as having the potential to accelerate the environmental transition by 2030. Prize winners are chosen from five Earthshot categories: protect and restore nature, clean our air, revive our oceans, build a waste-free world, and fix our climate, with each category winner awarded £1 million ($1.31 million) to advance or replicate their work.
The 2025 Winners of The Earthshot Prize are:
re.green’s unique restoration approach combines AI, drones and satellite imagery with ecological and financial data to quickly identify land with the biggest potential for restoration. Since its founding in 2021, re.green has expanded across 30,000 hectares and four Brazilian states, with over 12,000 hectares under active restoration. Today they work with 22 partner nurseries, including Bioflora, one of Brazil’s largest native species nurseries, and can produce around three million seedlings annually. So far, re.green has planted more than six million seedlings, 4.4 million in 2024 alone, and is aiming for 65 million by 2032[i].
Between 1998 and 2005, Bogotá’s air quality reached critical levels and concentrations of particulate matter exceeded seven times the limit currently set out by the World Health Organisation. To tackle this, Bogotá’s leaders set out an ambitious plan to transform the city. They prioritised walking and cycling, pedestrianising the city, expanding greenery and restricting heavy freight vehicles, while also introducing cleaner public transport. The prize was awarded for their bold leadership and smart policies that have resulted in air pollution in the city reducing by 24%[ii].
The High Seas Treaty became the first-ever global legal framework for Marine Protected Areas on the High Seas and sets out clear measures to prevent overfishing, conserve ocean life and promote fair participation for developing countries. The treaty is the result of decades of work and closes the gap in ocean conservation, protecting biodiversity in international waters and helping hit the global 30×30 goal[iii].
Founded in 2011 by Omoyemi Akerele, Lagos Fashion Week is leading a transformative movement. By placing circularity, craft-driven innovation, and community empowerment at their core, they’re tackling fashion’s biggest issues of overproduction and overconsumption. Worryingly, consumers now buy around 60% more clothing than they did twenty years ago, yet keep each item for only half as long, and at the same time, less than 1% of textiles are recycled into new garments.
Now in its 15th year, Lagos Fashion Week has grown to become Africa’s largest and most influential fashion event. Every designer wishing to show at the event must demonstrate their commitment to sustainable practices; from how materials are sourced and dyed, to how garments are produced and transported. These standards ensure responsible and ethical practices are embedded throughout the supply chain.
Founded by Runa Khan in 2002, Friendship is dedicated to helping vulnerable communities across Bangladesh not only prepare for natural disasters, but also supporting their health, education, livelihoods and access to public services. From its beginnings as a single floating hospital, Friendship has grown into a dedicated social purpose organisation. Today it reaches more than 7.5 million people each year with healthcare services, provides over 8.3 million days of emergency food support, and gives more than 80,000 people access to safe drinking water in coastal areas.
Friendship is also restoring over 60 km of mangrove forests to shield villages from the worst impacts of deadly cyclones. They have already planted more than 650,000 trees across 200 hectares near Sundarbans on Bangladesh’s southern coast, protecting over 125,000 people to date
Speaking during the ceremony for this year’s winners, HRH Prince William, Founder and President of The Earthshot Prize, said:
“When I founded The Earthshot Prize in 2020, we had a ten-year goal; to make this the decade in which we transformed our world for the better. We set out to tackle environmental issues head on and make real, lasting changes that would protect life on Earth.
It was a mission driven by the kind of extraordinary optimism we have felt here tonight, from these innovators. Their work is the proof we need that progress is possible. Their stories are the inspiration that gives us courage. And there’s a great deal we can learn from their determination, their vision for scale, and their unyielding belief that we can create a better world.”[iv]
[i] re.green - The Earthshot Prize 2025 Finalist
[ii] City of Bogotá - The Earthshot Prize 2025 Finalist
[iii] The High Seas Treaty - The Earthshot Prize 2025 Finalist
[iv] The Earthshot Prize Announces 2025 Winners - The Earthshot Prize
Lauren has extensive experience as an analyst and market researcher in the digital technology and travel sectors. She has a background in researching and forecasting emerging technologies, with a particular passion for the Videogames and eSports industries. She joined the Critical Information Group as Head of Reports and Market Research at GRC World Forums, and leads the content and data research team at the Zero Carbon Academy. “What drew me to the academy is the opportunity to add content and commentary around sustainability across a wealth of industries and sectors.”
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