The Earthshot Prize 2025: Rio de Janeiro Hosts Fusion of Music and Ecology

The prestigious Earthshot Prize 2025 awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in Rio de Janeiro on November 5. This landmark decision brings the globally significant environmental event to Latin America for the first time, highlighting Brazil's increasing influence on the global climate stage. Renowned Brazilian television personality Luciano Huck has been named the host for the evening. Prince William, the founder of the award, anticipates that this event will serve as the culmination of his decade-long cycle dedicated to finding and promoting scalable solutions for planetary restoration.

The gala is set to attract a constellation of A-list celebrities and influential figures, utilizing their platform to draw widespread attention to pressing ecological challenges. The stage will feature a dynamic lineup blending local legends and international stars. Performances are expected from Brazilian music icon Gilberto Gil, chart-topping pop artist Anitta, and acclaimed musician Seu Jorge. They will be joined by global superstars Kylie Minogue and Shawn Mendes, whose involvement is intended to significantly amplify the ceremony's worldwide resonance.

Adding further prominence to the event, the presenters for the evening include former football champion Cafu, Formula-1 legend Sebastian Vettel, and indigenous activist Thai Surui. Moreover, Hollywood actor Matthew McConaughey lent his voice to a special trailer that introduces the 15 finalists competing for the coveted awards.

The Earthshot Prize recognizes groundbreaking innovations across five critical environmental pillars, including key areas such as “Protect and Restore Nature” and “Revive Our Oceans.” Five successful innovators will each be awarded a substantial grant of 1 million pounds sterling. This funding is specifically designed to enable them to scale up their transformative projects globally. The timing of this high-profile event is particularly strategic, as it precedes the COP30 summit, which is also slated to be held in Brazil, symbolizing a crucial transition from mere awareness of the climate crisis to implementing decisive, active solutions.

Particular focus this year is directed towards the 'Revive Our Oceans' category, where the High Seas Treaty is highlighted as a finalist. This agreement, formally known as the Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ), recently achieved the necessary threshold of 60 ratifications. This major diplomatic success, which required nearly two decades of sustained international effort, guarantees that the document will legally enter into force on January 17, 2026. This date is exactly 120 days after the ratification threshold was successfully met on September 19, 2025. The High Seas Treaty represents the first legally binding international instrument dedicated to safeguarding marine life in the open ocean, an area covering two-thirds of the world's oceans, by providing essential tools for establishing marine protected areas and conducting thorough environmental impact assessments.