Highlights
- Mumbai has been named the host city for the Earthshot Prize 2026, announced during the city's inaugural Climate Action Week.
- Prince William praised India's young population as a potential driving force for global environmental change.
- The Earthshot Prize has previously been staged in London, Singapore, Cape Town, Boston and Rio de Janeiro.
William told Reuters "India is one of the world's most important forces for climate and nature. What succeeds in India at scale has the power to inspire progress everywhere."
He added that India's position as home to the world's largest young population gave him real optimism. "There is a real sense of momentum to not only imagine a better future, but to inspire change and make it a reality.
Together we can rise to meet our greatest challenge, to repair and restore our planet by 2030."
India's green moment
The Earthshot Prize, inspired by former US president John F Kennedy's Moonshot project, is now halfway through its decade-long mission to find and reward ideas that help save the planet.
Awards are presented across five categories: Protect and Restore Nature; Clean Our Air; Revive Our Oceans; Build a Waste-Free World; and Fix Our Climate.
Past ceremonies have attracted global stars including Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Matthew McConaughey, Sir David Attenborough and former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern.
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis welcomed the announcement, saying "The Earthshot Prize is the world's most prestigious environmental award, and I am proud to announce that it will be hosted in Mumbai in November.
Sustainability and climate action remain top priorities for Maharashtra, and the Earthshot Prize will create global attention for India's leadership and commitment to turning our goals into meaningful action on the ground."
