Mumbai prepares for the biggest Earthshot Prize 2026 edition. With global leaders and stars attending, the event highlights India’s environmental innovation and celebrates scalable solutions to pressing global climate challenges.
Earthshot Prize to Debut in India
The Earthshot Prize is set to make its India debut in Mumbai, with its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Jason Knauf, announcing that the 2026 edition will be the biggest in the history of the global environmental award. Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Knauf highlighted India’s growing contribution to environmental innovation and confirmed that several prominent personalities, including cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, singer Shreya Ghoshal and Oscar-winning actor Rami Malek, will be part of the celebrations.
Mumbai will host the week-long programme of activities from November 15 to 17, culminating in the awards ceremony on November 17. The announcement was made during a press briefing at the Jio World Convention Centre (JWCC) on Thursday. Describing the significance of bringing the global environmental initiative to India for the first time, Knauf said, “It’s going to be the biggest edition we’ve ever had, so we had to come to the biggest country on earth. We thought we better put on the biggest show on Earth as well to help reach as many people.”
Mumbai Hosts the Grand 2026 Event
He also underlined India’s importance to the initiative, pointing out that the country has produced more Earthshot finalists and winners than any other nation. “It’s been the most successful country for us right from the beginning with more finalists and winners than any other country, so it feels to us like it’s coming home,” Knauf said.
The 2026 edition is expected to bring together several prominent international and Indian personalities. Prince William, the founder and president of The Earthshot Prize, will lead the celebrations, while cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and singer Shreya Ghoshal are among the Indian names expected to attend. Speaking about Prince William’s connection with India and the initiative, Knauf said, “He was first here 10 years ago, and a lot of the work he saw here happening on the environment is what contributed to him wanting to start the Earthshot Prize so that we could build a platform for them.”
Star-Studded Celebrations and Global Reach
Knauf also confirmed the participation of Oscar-winning actor Rami Malek, who is known for his work in the James Bond films. “We’re also going to have a few surprises on the night. We’re going to have Oscar winner Rami Malek, known from the Bond movies among other things, that is joining us once again,” he said. He added that the ceremony would be broadcast internationally on Prime, reaching audiences across 240 countries.
A major highlight of the 2026 edition is the inclusion of two Indian initiatives among the 15 shortlisted finalists. Mahindra Last Mile Mobility has been shortlisted in the Clean Our Air category for its large-scale electrification programme involving three-wheelers, while the Mahila Housing Trust features in the Fix Our Climate category for its work helping women combat heat stress.
Indian Finalists and Global Impact
Highlighting their global relevance, Knauf said, “India is on the front lines of the challenges around climate change, nature loss, air pollution, and India is coming up with the solutions.” He added, “These are issues that are globally significant. So we’re going to put on a very large celebration to show the world that we have the solutions we need and it’s time to get behind them.”
The 15 finalists represent five categories: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World and Fix Our Climate. Each category winner will receive Pound 1 million to scale their environmental solutions and expand their impact.
As part of the programme, the finalists will also travel to Jaipur before returning to Mumbai on November 16, ahead of the awards ceremony scheduled for November 17. The winners will be selected by the Global Prize Council, led by Prince William. The initiative aims to recognise innovative and scalable solutions to some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)