In London on Sunday, October 17, the inaugural Earthshot Prize organized by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge was awarded to Delhi-based Vidyut Mohan for his initiative on agriculture-waste recycling. He was rewarded with prize money of GBP 1 million ($ 1.4 million) for the winning project was among four other winners.

The Takachar project was recognized as one of the winners because of its inexpensive, small-scale, and portable technology innovation, which recycles crop wastes that are generated during the harvesting process into commercial bioproducts. It is estimated that the innovative technology can reduce smoke emissions from agri-waste burning by up to 98 percent and improve the depleting air quality that has cut life expectancy by over five years for the affected population.

Takachar was nominated in the final round of the ‘Clean our Air’ category besides another Indian project. Made by Vinisha Umashankar, a Tamil Nadu-based 14-year schoolgirl, the project envisages a solar-power run ironing cart.

According to Prince William, the Eco Oscars will advance the fight against climate change leading up to the COP26 summit, scheduled for the end of the month in Scotland, calling those shortlisted for the award "innovators, leaders and visionaries".

There were several others to win a prize during the ceremony, including a scheme from Costa Rica that rewards citizens for restoring natural systems and has resulted in the rebirth of the rainforest. The scheme won in the ‘Protect and Restore Nature’ category.

A project named Coral Vita run by two friends to restore the dying coral reefs in the Bahamas won the prize in the 'Revive our Oceans' category. In the "Fix our Climate" category, a Thai-German-Italian team won for its AEM Electrolyzer, which utilises renewable energy to produce clean hydrogen by splitting water into its constituent elements.

From more than 750 nominations, each finalist has been selected by a panel of experts who will help them develop their projects with different companies.

Announcing the 2022 edition of the Earthshot Prize, Prince William also announced it would be held in the United States.

Image source: iGLOBAL News