Prince William makes major announcement about future travel plans

Prince William has announced he will travel to Brazil next month for his fifth Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony. William will travel to Rio de Janeiro in November to present another five awards, each worth £1million, to those developing scalable solutions to combat the global climate crisis.

Today, 15 new finalists across five different environmental categories have been announced, ranging from a company battling microplastics in our oceans, an upcycled skyscraper in Sydney, sustainable fashion shows and a tech start-up tackling deforestation.

"I am deeply proud of what The Earthshot Prize has done in its first five years, and I'm enormously excited for the next five," Prince William said in a new statement. "Not just for the new Finalists we'll welcome into our network, but to see the continued impact of our 60 existing Finalists."

William continued: "For me, it is that urgent optimism that has been at the heart of this Prize from the beginning. And it feels unstoppable. The people behind these projects are heroes of our time, so let us back them. Because, if we do, we can make the world cleaner, safer and full of opportunity - not only for future generations, but for the lives we want to lead now.

"The journey to 2030 is still ours to define. With the vision of these Finalists and the support of all of us, a flourishing planet is already a reality."

There are many incredible finalists this year.For example, Lagos Fashion Show in Nigeria is battling to make a difference by ensuring that every designer proves they have used sustainable methods in their materials and the labour conditions they and their staff work in.

Meanwhile, there is a UK-based company shortlisted in the Revive Our Oceans category. Matter has developed an affordable washing machine filter that stops the spread of dangerous microplastics.

Also on the list is Quay Quarter Tower in Sydney, Australia. When skyscrapers are torn down around the world, they can emit worrying amounts of carbon and contribute to over 40% of global waste, but this project has proved that doesn't have to be the case.

Architects and engineers transformed Quay Quarter Tower and retained 65% of its original structure and 98% of its core. The result was a striking new tower with world-class views, cutting-edge design with twice the floor space, and a fraction of the environmental footprint.

Of course, Prince William cannot achieve the goal of the Earthshot Prize alone and has called on some huge names to help him - from Hollywood star, Cate Blanchett, to Australian conservationist, Robert Irwin, to Queen Rania of Jordan.

Former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Dame Jacinda Ardern, has been a vital support, too.

"Over the past five years I've seen my friend, Prince William, shape the Earthshot Prize into something incredible," she said in a new statement. "His relentless optimism, and unwavering quest to always raise expectations, has set a tone. He reminds us that when it comes to the challenges facing our planet, our job isn't to give in to despair.

"It is to lead - with hope, optimism, urgency and energy. Optimism is not naive, it's a choice that says we expect better, and we expect more - It's a choice that we all need to make. If you are undecided - if you are sitting there on the optimism fence - then I urge you to listen to these fifteen Finalists."

She went on to add: "What I admire most about The Earthshot Prize is its commitment, since the very beginning, to search every part of this planet for the voices and ideas that will be the solutions to our greatest problems. Because that is the only way we'll solve this - together, with every voice, and every perspective."

Prince William launched the Earthshot Prize in 2020 and has long been a vocal advocate for doing everything possible to save the planet. He revealed that the Prize would be centred around five environmental goals, known as 'Earthshots', which, if achieved by 2030, will improve life for everyone.

The five different categories are: Revive Our Oceans, Fix Our Climate, Build a Waste-free World, Protect and Restore nature and Clean our Air.

The scheme will run for ten years, and at each ceremony, five winners are given £1 million to fund their groundbreaking work, as well as access to leading experts and mentors.

Making the world a better place for the next generation is another of William's major driving forces behind the the Earthshot Prize.

Having been inspired to focus on the environment by the work of his grandfather, Prince Philip, and his father, King Charles - both of whom he has previously called "pioneers in the environmental movement" - William made it clear he still wants to "go one step further".

Speaking in 2023, he said, "I care about so many things and previously the family have been very much spotlighting brilliantly and going round and highlighting lots - I want to go a step further. I want to actually bring change and I want to bring people to the table who can do the change if I can't do it."