Prince William urges humanity 'not to give up' in the face of climate change
is urging humanity 'not to give up' in the face of 'terrifying' and 'exponential' . The future British king says he understands why people feel 'so despondent, so fearful and so powerless' in the face of a such a rapidly approaching 'tipping point'. But in the foreword to a new book accompanying his landmark 50million Earthshot Prize, the royal sounds a rare note of optimism. Recalling his very personal moment of clarity following a trip to Namibia in 2018 that led him to set up the initiative, he says: 'I was hit by a wave of global pessimism. 'The headlines were dominated by a sense that world leaders were not moving fast enough. There was widespread finger pointing and political and geographical division. To those of us following at home, it wasn't an inspiring sight. 'I understood why the mood was full of despair, of course. The challenge facing our planet is immense. We were about to enter what scientists say is the most consequential decade in history.' He continued: 'Humans have taken too many fish from the sea. We have cleared too many trees, burnt too much fossil fuel, and produced too much waste. The damage we are doing is no longer incremental but exponential, and we are fast reaching a tipping point... '..The facts look terrifying, and I could see that this risked making people feel like they might as well give up. The global debate felt too complex, too negative, too overwhelming. 'It seemed to me, and this is backed up by my team's research, that there was a real risk that people would switch off; that they would feel so despondent, so fearful and so powerless, there was a risk that any real hope of progress would come to a halt. 'You could summarise this mood with a simple equation: urgency + pessimism = despondency.' But William says he then looked to his own experiences - and those of his father and grandfather, both of whom have proved environmental pioneers in their own ways. 'Following in their footsteps, I have seen people all over the world face what seem like insurmountable challenges yet come together with collective ambition, and a can-do-spirit, to find solutions to them,' he says. 'I strongly believe that change is possible, when you put your mind to it. I started thinking about what to do to change the equation to something else: urgency + optimism = action.' The prince, 39, decided to take inspiration from John F Kennedy's Moonshot challenge, pushing man's exploration of space more than ever before, resulting in the Apollo moon landings. He decided to recapture that 'human ingenuity, purpose and optimism' with the Earthshot Prize, which will today unveil the first 15 finalists - out of 750 entries from across the globe - competing for a 50million prize pot with innovative solutions that could repair the planet and change life on earth for all. Every year from 2021 until the end of the decade, winners in five categories will each receive 1 million and support from a range of experts after being picked by a judging panel consisting of William and leading figures, including Sir David Attenborough. Each offers 1million in prize money which will support environmental and conservation projects agreed with the winners, who could be individuals, a group of scientists or activists, businesses, governments and even a city or country. They will be recognised for new ideas, technologies, policies or solutions which tackle one of the five Earthshots: Protect and restore nature; Clean our air, Revive our oceans; Build a waste-free world; and Fix our climate. The prize is likely to be seen as William's career-defining project, like his father's Prince's Trust or grandfather's Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, and reflects his growing confidence on the world stage. The five winners will be unveiled on October 17 in a unique ceremony at Alexandra Palace in London. Commenting on the inspiration behind the project, William writes of how the seeds were sown during a visit to Namibia, Tanzania and Kenya in autumn 2018 when he met frontline conservation workers and those from local communities. Writing about an early morning trip to try and catch a glimpse of the endangered black rhino, he says: 'The sight that greets you on arrival at the Hoanib Valley in the Kunene region of Namibia is breath-taking. 'The desert landscape is rocky and bare, criss-crossed with ancient, dry riverbeds that are now used as roads, and punctured by the odd tree and bit of scrub. 'The setting sun behind the mountains makes you stop in your tracks. This place has a majestic otherworldly beauty. 'What makes the environment even more breath-taking is the wildlife that now thrives here. Herds of springbok and oryx pick their way through the dusty plains. Desert-adapted giraffes amble along with an elegant gait. Elephants shelter from the beating sun under the shade of large trees. 'And if you are willing to get up early, be patient, and have a bit of luck on your side, you might spot one of the region's precious, free-ranging black rhino or even a desert lion.' William says the 'optimism and determination' he witnessed with communities on the ground, fired him to make a difference on his return. 'The community conservancy model is a prime example of how a simple, positive solution can have wide-reaching benefits for both humans and nature. Most importantly of all, it is a success story that can be replicated and scaled. I wanted to find a way to bottle that innovation and community spirit and mass-produce it globally,' he says. 'I wanted to recapture Kennedy's Moonshot spirit of human ingenuity, purpose and optimism, and turn it with laser-sharp focus and urgency on to the most pressing challenge of our time - repairing our planet.' Jason Knauf, CEO of The Royal Foundation, said yesterday: 'The challenge the duke set himself was "what is the maximum positive personal contribution I can make in the next ten years in the fight against climate change? What am I going to do in the next decade that means I can look my children in the eye and say that I did my bit?" Every aspect of the prize bears the stamp of his contribution.' Earthshot: How to Save our Planet is available from September 30 and highlights some of the remarkable solutions happening globally to repair the planet. The book also features contributions from members of The Earthshot Prize Council, including Christiana Figueres, former UN Climate Chief responsible for delivery of the landmark Paris Agreement on Climate Change, singer and philanthropist Shakira, former international astronaut Naoko Yamazaki, and broadcaster and natural historian Sir David Attenborough.