Prince William, heir to the British throne, visited Christ the Redeemer this Wednesday, November 5, 2025, in Rio de Janeiro. He met with the 15 finalists of the Earthshot Prize, an initiative he created in 2020 to reward innovative environmental solutions. The agenda takes place before the awards ceremony at the Museum of Tomorrow, in the evening, marking the first edition of the event in Latin America.
Local authorities, including Mayor Eduardo Paes and Cardinal Dom Orani Tempesta, welcomed the visitor. William greeted his hosts in Portuguese and visited the chapel at the foot of the statue, a symbol of the city. The meeting highlighted the focus on climate innovation, with two Brazilian projects among the competitors.
The visit reflects the prince’s commitment to global environmental protection. Since his arrival in Brazil on Monday the 3rd, he has participated in events linked to sustainability. The Earthshot Prize distributes up to £5 million annually to initiatives combating climate change.
- Official reception with religious and civil leaders.
- Dialogue with finalists on forest restoration and clean technologies.
- Visit to the chapel for a moment of reflection.
Initial agenda in Rio de Janeiro
William arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Monday for a series of environmental commitments. He received the keys to the city from Mayor Eduardo Paes at Pão de Açúcar. The gesture symbolizes the partnership between the United Kingdom and Brazil on sustainability issues.
On Tuesday, the prince visited the Maracanã Stadium and met with former players like Cafu. These events set the stage for the Earthshot Prize. The agenda includes forums with local and international leaders.
The itinerary connects Rio to COP30, in Belém, from November 6th to 21st. William represents King Charles III at the UN climate conference.
Earthshot Awards Details
The Earthshot Prize selects solutions in five categories: protecting and restoring nature, clean air, resilient oceans, waste-free world and global carbon sequestration. Each winner receives £1 million to scale projects. Since 2020, the fund has supported more than 60 initiatives, impacting millionsof hectares of land and oceans.
This year, almost 2,500 nominations arrived from 150 countries. Finalists include innovations such as microplastic filters and recycled buildings. The edition in Rio attracted twice as many applications from South America compared to 2024.
The ceremony at the Museum of Tomorrow will feature performances by artists such as Anitta and Shawn Mendes. The event reinforces Brazil’s role in the global climate agenda.
Finalists participate in a one-year acceleration program. This support provides mentoring and access to investor networks.
Brazilian projects among the finalists
The re.green platform, from São Paulo, competes in the nature protection and restoration category. The company restores degraded forests in the Atlantic Forest and the Amazon, covering 30 thousand hectares in four states. Partnerships with nurseries produce 3 million seedlings per year.
Another national project focuses on sustainable agriculture in Mato Grosso do Sul. The Belterra initiative, a finalist in 2023, protects 40 thousand hectares of forest. It connects farmers to commercial markets to enable restorations.
These efforts are in line with Brazilian biodiversity, which is home to 60% of the remaining tropical forests. The projects generate local jobs and capture carbon.
- re.green: Technology for monitoring reforestation.
- Belterra: Integration of rural communities into green economic chains.
- Impact: Reduction of emissions and preservation of ecosystems.
Global Innovation Initiatives
International finalists bring advances such as iron-air batteries for renewable energy storage. One project in Iceland aims to eliminate fossil fuels by 2040. Another develops washing machines that filter microplastics from water.
These solutions have already avoided 4.8 million tons of CO2 since the award was launched. The Tropical Forest Forever fund, supported by the Brazilian government, plans to invest US$125 billion in protecting tropical forests.
Earthshot connects innovators with allies like Microsoft and Unilever. This network accelerates project implementation at scale.
William highlighted the importance of multilateral partnerships during the meeting at Christ the Redeemer. The finalists shared experiences about local challenges, such as deforestation and urban pollution.
Presence of leaders and communities
The prince met with indigenous and community leaders in Rio. Activists such as Txai Suruí participate in the events. These dialogues emphasize the role of traditional peoples in environmental conservation.
Rebeca Andrade, Olympic gymnast, and Sebastian Vettel, former Formula 1 driver, support the award. Their presence attracts attention to climate issues among diverse audiences.
Earthshot week includes activations at Warehouse 3 in Porto do Rio. Exhibitions showm prototypes of finalist solutions.
Local communities benefit from sustainability training. The event generates visibility for grassroots actions in Brazil.
Preparations for COP30
William’s visit precedes COP30 in Belém, where he will discuss global climate goals. Brazil chairs the conference, focusing on financing for adaptation. Developing countries seek commitments of 100 billion dollars annually.
The COP30 Local Leaders Forum took place at MAM-Rio in the previous days. William participated in panels on green urban innovation.
These events strengthen ties between the United Kingdom and Brazil. The prince praised Brazilian leadership in biodiversity during opening speeches.
The agenda reinforces the urgency of coordinated actions against global warming. Experts predict that COP30 will advance agreements on forests and clean energy.
