Costa Rica Bags Prince William's Earthshot Prize Worth $1.4 Million for Its Climate Change Initiative

Costa Rica has taken home prize money of around $1.4 million after winning Prince William's Earthshot Prize for its climate change initiative.

There were five winners announced in London, with the event being joined by stars, including Emma Watson, Dame Emma Thompson, and David Oyelowo, according to a BBC News report.

The Earthshot prize's name is a reference to the "Moonshot" ambition of 1960s America. Then-President John F. Kennedy had vowed to get a man on the moon within a decade.

The inaugural winners were chosen from five categories. They were chosen from a shortlist of 15 judges, including broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, actress Cate Blanchett, and singer Shakira.

Earthshot Prize Winners

Costa Rica has doubled the number of trees to plant and is seen as a role model for others to follow. The winning project of the country is a program that would pay local citizens to restore natural ecosystems that had led to a revival of the rainforest.

Milan had managed to win the prize for a citywide food recovery policy, redirecting surplus food to charities and food banks, according to The New York Times report.

Takachar also won, which is a social enterprise based in India developing technology to fight off air pollution from agricultural burning.

Coral Vita from the Bahamas also won for growing coral to replant in the ocean.

Enapter also won. It is a design in Thailand using renewable energy to make hydrogen by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen.

Costa Rica President Carlos Alvarado Quesada said in an acceptance speech that what they achieved in their country can be done anywhere else.

Quesada added that they will continue recognizing nature as their most valuable asset.

Among the finalists for the prizes were groups working to protect endangered animals, as well as organize public databases around local water and air quality.

The youngest finalist was a 14-year-old inventor, who invented a solar-powered ironing cart. He's Vinisha Umashankar.

Sir David Attenborough, Christiana Figueres, Dani Alves, and other hosts of stars attended the event. Performers such as Ed Sheeran and Yemi Alde also attended.

The inaugural event occurred days before the COP26 UN climate change summit in Glasgow.

COP26 Climate Change Summit

The summit is an event where world leaders meet annually to forge a global response to the climate emergency, according to The Guardian report.

The conference will officially commence on October 31, which is a day earlier than planned due to the COVID pandemic.

More than 120 world leaders will convene and are expected to leave, leaving the negotiations to their representatives.

The conference is seen to host around 25,000 people.

All countries are now being urged to amend their nationally determined contributions before COP26 in line with a 1.5C target when it comes to the global temperature rise.

Scientists had forecasted that emissions must be reduced by 45 percent by 2030 as compared with 2010 levels, with a net-zero emissions by 2050.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Earthshot Prize: Costa Rica among £1m winners of Prince William's environmental awards - from ITV News