Meet the 15 Earthshot Prize finalists

For the first time ever, there will be an Earthshot Prize ceremony honoring the brilliant minds working on solutions to our most pressing environmental issues. Although there will be five winners, all of these finalists have done incredible work for this planet. Learn more when THE EARTHSHOT PRIZE: REPAIRING OUR PLANET premieres for streaming on discovery+, Sunday, October 3rd. You can also watch all five-parts of the series on Discovery Saturday, October 16 and don't miss the livestream of The Earthshot Prize Inaugural Awards on October 17 on Discovery's Facebook page.

By: Discovery

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POLE POLE FOUNDATION

John Kahekwa founded the Pole Pole Foundation (POPOF) after realizing that hunger and poverty were the main cause of poaching and deforestation. The foundation now works towards low-cost farming and helps former poachers gain new skills to support their communities.

REPUBLIC OF COSTA RICA

Andrea Meza is the Minister of Environment of Costa Rica. She is one of those responsible for prorgams in Costa Rica that have doubled the forest size. The thriving forest led to ecotourism, which contributes an approximate $4 billion to the economy.

RESTOR

Restor is a free online platform used to further the restoration movement. The platform not only connects practitioners with ecological data but it also allows networks to build between major players such as the activists and funders.

THE BLUE MAP APP

The Blue Map App, founded by Ma Jun, is a public environmental database and the first of it's kind in China. With over 10 million downloads, it has become a key player in getting initiatives for change in place.

TAKACHAR

Vidyut Mohan is working to eliminate smoke emissions from farming. His social enterprise, Takachar, is a technology that converts what would be useless crop residues into sellable bio-products.

VINISHA UMASHANKAR

At just 14-years-old, Vinisha Umashankar is using her innovative mind to help the environment. She created a solar-powered way to press clothes, as a cleaner alternative to charcoal powered street irons. i

Sam Teicher and Gator Halpern launched Coral Vita, a facility that grows coral on land to help replant those lost in the oceans. Their methods for growing coral is much faster and more effective, which is needed to counteract the fast-moving effects of climate change.

LIVING SEAWALLS

Living Seawalls is a project founded in Sydney Harbour, working on sea defenses as the city prepares for rising sea levels. These panels are now thriving with eighty-five species living among them.

PRISTINE SEAS

Dr. Enric Sala saw destruction of the marine-world growing up by the Mediterranean Sea. This led to him finding Pristine Seas, which has a team of experts working towards protecting 30% of our oceans by 2030.

THE CITY OF MILAN FOOD WASTE HUBS

The City of Milan’s Food Waste Hubs is working against a major issue: food waste. Each hub coordinates the recovering of food, mainly from supermarkets, and gives it to organizations to distribute this food to the neediest citizens.

SANERGY

Sanergy is working towards a waste-free world. From their alternatives to sewers to repurposing organic kitchen waste, they are hoping to not only manage waste more effectively but also fight food insecurity.

WOTA BOX

WOTA is a Japanese start-up that is working towards improving water security. Their "box" allows people to reuse wastewater. This box is able to turn more than 98 percent of water waste into clean fresh water, making it the only solution of it's kind.

AEM ELECTROLYSER

Vaitea Cowan co-founded Enapter, a company that created a new technology, AEM Electrolyser. This technology turns renewable electricity into emission-free hydrogen gas. And, it is already being used to fuel cars and planes, and even heats homes.

REEDDI CAPSULES

Clean energy is a major player in helping our planet thrive, but not always easily accessible. Reeddi Capsules provide a solution to that problem. They are solar-powered energy capsules that can be rented and returned for $0.50 a day, significantly cheaper and cleaner than other options available.

SOLBAZAAR

SOLshare lends it's name to solar energy, and they have created the world's first peer-to-peer energy exchange network. For example, homes with rooftop solar panels are now able to easily sell excess electricity to a network where others can buy it. It not only helps the environment, but also provides a source of income for families.