Prince William's Earthshot prize finalists have been announced for 2025

The overall winners will be announced at a special ceremony in November

The finalists for this year's Earthshot prize have been announced.

The annual competition, launched by Prince William back in 2020, recognises and celebrates people who've come up with big ideas to help tackle issues affecting the planet.

The prize looks at solutions to issues from different countries and sectors.

It aims to help the winning ideas, with five finalists each awarded £1 million to further develop their ideas.

The overall winners will be announced at the fifth Earthshot Prize awards in the Brazilian capital Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday 5 November.

The 2025 event marks the halfway point in the Earthshot decade, with Prince William pointing out that at the time of its launch in 2020, scientists made clear significant changes had to be made by 2030.

"Back then, a decade felt a long time. George was seven, Charlotte five and Louis two; the thought of them in 2030 felt a lifetime away," the Prince of Wales said in a video message posted on social media.

"But today, as we stand halfway through this critical decade, 2030 feels very real.

"The Earthshot Prize was founded because this decade matters. 2030 is a threshold by which future generations will judge us; it is the point at which our actions, or lack of them, will have shaped forever the trajectory of our planet."

Founded by Prince William in 2020, the prize aims to rewarding projects, organisations and even countries which are showing leadership in protecting the environment

This year's 15 finalists include a British company called Matter based in Bristol, whose washing machine filters aim to stop microplastics going into the ocean.

"Being a finalist for the Earthshot Prize and representing Matter at the awards ceremony in Rio is like winning an Olympic gold medal in innovation," said Adam Root the chief executive and founder of Matter.

Prince William will travel to Brazil next month for the ceremony where this year's winners will be announced

Prince William said he was "deeply proud" of what the Earthshot Prize has done in its first five years and is "enormously excited" for the next five.

"Not just for the new finalists we'll welcome into our network, but to see the continued impact of our 60 existing finalists," he said.

"Together, they are moving us towards achieving vital global goals that will improve and secure lives and livelihoods for all of us - goals such as protecting 30% of our land and sea by 2030.

"The people behind these projects are heroes of our time, so let us back them. Because, if we do, we can make the world cleaner, safer and full of opportunity - not only for future generations, but for the lives we want to lead now."