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The ceremony spotlighted remarkable solutions to our planet’s most pressing environmental challenges, each winner receiving £1 million to scale their innovations.
Inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s “Moonshot,” the Prize focuses on five critical “Earthshots” to achieve by 2030: Protect and Restore Nature; Clean our Air; Revive our Oceans; Build a Waste-Free World; and Fix our Climate. The Prize Council, featuring global environmental leaders including Sir David Attenborough and indigenous rights activist Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, selected winners whose solutions demonstrate both impact and scalability.
For UHNW families and family offices committed to environmental stewardship, this year’s winners represent more than just environmental achievements—they showcase investable solutions with proven potential. The rigorous selection process, overseen by leading experts and practitioners, effectively creates a curated pipeline of environmental innovations that combine measurable impact with scalable business models.
The Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative has achieved what many thought impossible: bringing the Saiga Antelope back from the brink of extinction while protecting Kazakhstan’s vast Golden Steppe ecosystem. Under Vera Voronova’s executive leadership, they’ve employed cutting-edge science and technology, including telemetry tracking of 250 Saiga Antelopes, to inform conservation strategies. Their success is remarkable – the Saiga population has grown from just 20,000 in 2003 to 2.86 million today, earning a status upgrade from “critically endangered” to “near threatened.” Beyond wildlife conservation, their collaborative approach with local communities, government rangers, and international partners has created a sustainable model for large-scale ecosystem restoration, proving that ambitious conservation goals are achievable with the right strategy and partnerships.
GAYO tackles Africa’s urban waste management crisis with an innovative approach that creates both environmental and social impact. Their Zero Waste Model has transformed waste management across Ghana and Uganda by creating green jobs while building sustainable infrastructure. Under Desmond Alugnoa’s leadership, GAYO has created 70 green jobs for young people, widows, single mothers, and people with disabilities, while diverting 170 tonnes of waste from landfills in 2023 alone. Their holistic approach includes training in waste management best practices and commercial skills, enabling communities to earn income from composting and creating charcoal briquettes from waste. GAYO’s success in engaging stakeholders and securing government recognition demonstrates the model’s potential for widespread adoption across Africa.
The High Ambition Coalition (HAC) stands out for transforming environmental pledges into concrete action on a global scale. Under the leadership of Rita Maria El Zaghloul, HAC has successfully united 120 countries behind the crucial “30×30” target – protecting 30% of the world’s land and oceans by 2030. Their practical approach includes a Solutions Toolkit and financial matchmaking tools that help governments move from commitment to implementation. What makes HAC exceptional is their inclusive strategy, working with over 200 indigenous groups to put traditional knowledge at the heart of conservation efforts. Their work has already led to significant victories, including Chile’s expansion of marine protection by 1.5 million square kilometers in 2022.
In the challenging landscape of African food security, Keep IT Cool (KIC) has developed an innovative solution that addresses multiple challenges simultaneously. Their solar-powered cold storage units and smart distribution system have revolutionised how small farmers and fishers preserve and sell their produce. By providing sustainable refrigeration at landing sites and managing transport to markets, KIC has achieved a remarkable 98% reduction in post-harvest losses for 1.5 million kg of food since 2022. Their impact extends beyond environmental benefits – they’ve brokered agreements with 1,600 retailers, ensuring fair prices for farmers and eliminating dependence on middlemen. This comprehensive approach has increased incomes by 15% for 3,600 fisherfolk while significantly reducing food waste.
A revolutionary breakthrough in industrial energy efficiency, Advanced Thermovoltaic Systems transforms what was once considered waste into valuable power. Their ingenious technology converts industrial waste heat into electricity using compact, smartphone-sized plates with no moving parts, making it both safe and simple to implement. In industries like cement and steel manufacturing, where approximately 60% of energy is lost as waste heat, ATS’s solution could save gigatonnes of CO2 emissions. What sets them apart is their ability to harvest even lower temperature heat levels, with a remarkably efficient 98% circular design that can be easily scaled and transported worldwide. Their successful pilot with a leading cement company demonstrates their potential to transform energy use in hard-to-abate sectors.
The 2024 Earthshot Prize winners represent the kind of transformative solutions that can deliver both environmental impact and financial sustainability. For UHNW families and family offices looking to align their portfolios with climate solutions, these innovations offer concrete investment opportunities across multiple sectors and geographies. For the full list of 2024’s winners and finalists, read more here.
For more information and personalised advice on multi-generational wealth management, visit itriom.com. Discover how our Family Office Wealth Management Platform empowers you to build a sustainable legacy your family can be proud of.
Matthew Millard-Beer is CEO & Founder, based in Itriom’s London Office.
Itriom is the global impact platform helping leading families shape a better world. Itriom’s platform enables families to refresh and redesign their values, aligns them with the right UN Sustainable Development Goals, combining them in an agreed purpose and a Family Impact Charter. Itriom’s platform supports the development of impact initiatives and whilst providing discrete and secure spaces for peer-to-peer messaging and collaboration. Itriom’s core practices in leadership, geostrategy, and sustainability benefit clients by developing strategies to engage and support the next generation in building a lasting legacy of which families can be proud.
Itriom’s leadership and resilience practice instils all-encompassing leadership in support of principals of leading families and the next generation preparing for family succession, transition and evolution.
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