Prince William has announced that India will host The Earthshot Prize 2026, with the global environmental awards ceremony set to take place in Mumbai in November next year. The event will mark the first time the prestigious climate awards are held in India.
The announcement was made through a video released on February 17 during the inaugural Mumbai Climate Week. The ceremony is expected to draw environmental leaders, philanthropists and investors from around the world.
In the video message shared on his social media accounts, the Prince of Wales praised India’s growing role in climate action and innovation. Referring to the momentum generated by the previous ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, he said the initiative would now move to India as the next host nation.
Describing India as a global technology leader, William highlighted that the country is home to 8% of the world’s biodiversity and is the fastest-growing major economy, with the largest youth population globally.
“We must continue to look to the future with urgency and optimism, which is why I am delighted that Mumbai will host The Earthshot Prize 2026,” he said in a statement. “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 has produced more Earthshot Prize finalists and winners than any other country. The country has had seven finalists since the awards began, including repeat representations in 2021 and 2022 and at least one finalist each year thereafter.
Previous Indian winners include S4S Technologies, which uses solar-powered dryers to cut food waste among farmers, and Boomitra, which incentivises soil restoration through a verified carbon credit marketplace. Other finalists have included Kheyti, known for its “greenhouse-in-a-box” solution for small farmers facing climate-affected harvests, and Takachar, which developed technology to reduce emissions from agricultural waste burning.
Jason Knauf, CEO of The Earthshot Prize, described the upcoming Mumbai event as one of the largest celebrations of climate leadership the world has seen.
Founded by Prince William in 2020, The Earthshot Prize awards $1 million annually to winners across five categories: protecting and restoring nature, cleaning the air, reviving oceans, building a waste-free world, and fixing the climate. The initiative is designed to run for a decade, aiming to accelerate solutions by 2030.
The inaugural awards were held in London in 2021, followed by ceremonies in Boston, Singapore, Cape Town and Rio de Janeiro. Princess Kate attended the London and Boston events. Since its launch, the prize has recognised over 5,600 environmental innovations from 156 countries, awarded £25 million to winners, and helped mobilise more than $500 million in investment and philanthropic support.
Prince William and Princess Kate last visited India in 2016 during an official tour. The 2026 ceremony will mark William’s return to the country nearly a decade later, this time to spotlight India’s growing influence in global climate leadership.
