Aussie among finalists for Prince William’s Earthshot Prize

An Australian entrepreneur has been recognised by Prince William’s Earthshot Prize, a global competition aimed at repairing and restoring the planet.
The Prince of Wales has announced the 15 finalists and their ground-breaking solutions to help tackle some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.
From the 15 finalists, five winners will be selected at a ceremony in Cape Town on November 6, with each receiving a prize of £1 million (approx $1.9m AUD).
Watch the video above.
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Prince William announced the finalists in a video message which was shared online and broadcast at The Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit, taking place in New York this week.
Among the finalists in the ‘Revive our Oceans’ category is Coast 4C, co-founded by Nicholas Hill.
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It’s described as a social enterprise that aims to build the world’s largest supply of regenerative seaweed, benefiting marginalised coastal fishing communities by transforming their harvest and providing a market to sell the seaweed at profits to lift them out of poverty.
Coast4C operates out of the Philippines but its headquarters are in Sydney, and Hill is originally from Cronulla.
Responding to the growing demand for seaweed as a product (used in food, it is also a key ingredient in many skin care items and is a popular alternative to plastic), Coast4C works with smallholder seaweed farmers/fishers and buyers and they are able to protect and regenerate ocean habitats from damage by increased human activities.
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In a statement, Coast4C said: “We are so honoured to be nominated alongside this amazing cohort of climate action trailblazers working to tackle the world’s most urgent climate and environmental challenges”.
“It is an enormous privilege to receive this recognition for the team’s work to revive our oceans and build more prosperous and resilient coastal communities, and to have acknowledged the transformative power of the communities we partner with.”
The winners will be announced at the Earthshot Prize awards, on November 6, in Cape Town.
It will be the fourth time the event has been held following Singapore in 2023, Boston in December 2022 and Alexandra Palace in London in 2021.
Prince William is expected to attend the ceremony, as he has done on all previous occasions.
The Princess of Wales is unlikely to join her husband due to her ongoing recovery following her cancer diagnosis. So far, the princess has just one event confirmed for the year: the Christmas carols concert at Westminster Abbey in December.
Catherine did not attend the awards in Singapore as it clashed with Prince George’s school exams.
The Earthshot Prize Awards were created by the Prince in 2020 and will award £50 million (approx. $95 million) in prizes over 10 years, to find solutions to repair and protect the planet.