2024 Winners

The 2024 Earthshot Prize winners represent a diverse array of visionaries who have been handpicked from over 1,300 nominees by the Earthshot Prize Council. These individuals, activists, and innovative projects have demonstrated outstanding solutions to address some of the most pressing environmental challenges in the world.

Each winning project aligns with one of the five ‘Earthshot’ objectives, encompassing: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World, Fix Our Climate. Below, we dive into the exceptional achievements of each category’s champions:

Protect and Restore Nature: Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative

Dedicated to protecting and restoring Kazakhstan’s Golden Steppe – a vast grassland home to numerous native, endangered species – this initiative led the protection of the critically endangered Saiga Antelope from full extinction. In order to provide stable protection over this area that was severely tarnished during the Soviet era, they partner with key governmental bodies including the Government of Kazakhstan’s Committee for Forest and Wildlife. These collaborations, which also include local communities, shows the importance and power of partnership in protecting vulnerable areas. The Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative’s next mission is to expand their staff, educate groups, and provide research in order to fully revitalise this grassland by 2030.

Clean our Air: Green Africa Youth Organisation (GAYO)

GAYO is a youth-led organisation responding to waste management issues as a result of the rapid urban expansion in Africa. Their Zero Waste Model is designed to implement sustainable waste systems and promote circularity. Since 2019, they have employed 70 people from disadvantaged groups into green jobs, who have all helped to keep 170 tonnes of waste out of landfills. GAYO’s inspiring mission is to replicate their highly effective model and advance circular waste processes across Africa.

Revive our Oceans: High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (HAC)

HAC’s core mission is to fill crucial gaps in biodiversity commitments and push governments to protect 30% of the world’s land and oceans by 2030. HAC has a multinational network of activists who are collaborating with policymakers and key stakeholders to secure these critical targets. Alongside its action on the international level, HAC works closely with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) to elevate traditional knowledge and practices that will help protect larger expanses of our land and sea.

Build a Waste-Free World: Keep IT Cool (KIC)

KIC is a Kenyan organisation that is providing sustainable refrigeration systems for farmers and fishers, ensuring that their produce stays fresh until it hits the markets. Alongside their innovative storage system, they offer financial security in order to establish fiscal stability with their partners. Currently managing 250,000 kg of produce per week, KIC’s future goals are to launch the countries biggest solar-powered cold chain distribution facility and expand its business across East Africa.

Fix our Climate: Advanced Thermovoltaic Systems (ATS)

Capturing and re-using waste heat from energy production could be a game changer in reducing emissions within key polluting industries. ATS has developed a durable and scalable piece of technology that can convert captured waste heat into electricity. Not only can their capturing models fit easily into existing plant facilities, all parts are reusable, representing its full circularity. ATS’s future objective is to scale their heat waste capturing systems into over 100 industrial facilities worldwide, saving 3.5 million tonnes of CO2 by 2030 in the process.

You can find out more about the Earthshot Prize winners and finalists here.