Kenya, Ghana innovators shine at Prince William’s EarthShot awards

Environmental innovators from Ghana and Kenya flew the flag high for Africa as they garnered two of the top five spots in the 2024 EarthShot Prize at a ceremony in Cape Town, South Africa. 

Prince William of England, Founder and President of The Earthshot Prize, was in attendance at the event, hosted by Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award winner Billy Porter and award-winning television presenter Bonang Matheba.

This is the first time Africa hosted the prize-giving.

The 2024 Winners, selected from this year’s 15 Earthshot Finalists, will be awarded £1 million (around $1.2m) each to accelerate and scale their game-changing environmental solutions.

Following a rigorous selection process focused on identifying impactful, inspiring and inclusive environmental solutions, the five winners are:

• Protect and Restore Nature: Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative, Kazakstan
• Clean Our Air: Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO), Ghana
• Revive Our Oceans: High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, Global
• Build a Waste-Free World: Keep IT Cool, Kenya
• Fix Our Climate: Advanced Thermovoltaic Systems, US

“Today, we celebrate the incredible achievements of our 2024 Earthshot Prize Winners and Finalists. These visionary innovators from Africa and beyond are not just solving the environmental challenges facing their communities – they are lighting the path for a sustainable future for us all,” said Prince William.

“Their groundbreaking work demonstrates that with the right support and collaboration, we can scale solutions that will repair and regenerate our planet. Let their success inspire us to act with urgency and optimism, ensuring a thriving world for future generations.”

About the African EarthShot Prize winners

A youth-led, gender-balanced organisation, GAYO uses its “Zero Waste Model” to drive behavioural change in waste management practices across Africa that cut greenhouse gas emissions and particle pollution, while also bringing additional income to communities. 

Their goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and particle pollution in Ghana by 70%, compared to open burning, as well as divert a total of 4,000 tonnes of waste by 2030. GAYO’s plans to scale would make them the leading model for waste management on the continent. 

“We are incredibly honoured to be winning the prize, which is a testament to the power of community-driven solutions and the importance of empowering those most affected by climate challenges,” said GAYO Co-Founder Desmond Alugnoa.

“Our work in Ghana demonstrates that sustainable waste management isn’t just a possibility—it’s a necessity. The recognition by The Earthshot Prize fuels our commitment to replicating these models across Africa, proving that local solutions can have global impacts.”

Kenya’s Keep IT Cool (KIC) addresses the challenge of food spoilage by providing sustainable, localised refrigeration systems that help small farmers and fishers preserve their produce.

By installing solar-powered cold storage units where fish are landed, KIC significantly reduces spoilage and waste by ensuring the catch stays fresh and managing its transport to market. With plans to grow into East Africa and beyond, KIC is now working to expand their activities in poultry, fruit and vegetables and aims to bring their solution to more communities.

“We are on a mission to revolutionise the food supply chain in East Africa. We are grateful for the recognition from The Earthshot Prize, and it is an important milestone for Keep IT Cool,” said Francis Nderitu, the compnay’s Founder and Managing Director.

“We will continue to enhance market access, reduce waste and build climate resilience for small-scale fish and poultry farmers throughout the region.”

Selection process

The five Winners of the 2024 Prize cohort were selected by Prince William and The Earthshot Prize Council, a diverse group of experts, advocates and individuals dedicated to championing urgent and innovative action to protect our planet. 

The Earthshot Prize Council is chaired by The Earthshot Prize Board of Trustees Chair, Dame Christiana Figueres, architect of the Paris Agreement.

Members of The Earthshot Prize Council include: Prince William, Queen Rania Al Abdullah, José Andrés, Sir David Attenborough, Cate Blanchett, Ernest Gibson, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Wanjira Mathai, Stella McCartney, Nemonte Nenquimo, Luisa Neubauer, Indra Nooyi, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Naoko Yamazaki.

In addition to the five £1m prizes supporting the growth of Winners’ solutions, each of the 15 Earthshot Prize Finalists will receive dedicated mentorship, resources and technical support through the year-long EarthShot Prize Fellowship Programme.

That support includes access to the Prize’s network of experts and partners, including The Earthshot Prize’s Global Alliance of Partners, comprised of some of the world’s largest businesses, donors, investors and environmental organisations committed to climate action.

Finalists will also have access to Launchpad, Earthshot’s bespoke online finance platform to matchmake Earthshot solutions to a growing community of members made up of mission-aligned donors and investors seeking to speed up proven environmental solutions to scale.

The Earthshot Prize is already gearing up for the 2025 Earthshot Prize. Nominations for the Prize’s fifth cohort of innovative solutions and entrepreneurs are now open.

Cover photo: ESI Africa