Earthshot Prize Launches Brazil Legacy Programme to Accelerate Green Innovation
The Earthshot Prize has announced a comprehensive “Legacy Programme” in Brazil, signalling that its influence in the country will extend far beyond the upcoming awards ceremony and into long‑term impact across multiple areas.
The plan is built around four strategic “pillars”: Youth, Finance, Innovation and Storytelling. Each is designed to embed climate action deeper into Brazil’s economy and society, and to position the country as a global leader in sustainable transformation.
Key Elements of the Programme
Youth / Education: In partnership with Brazilian institution Insper, the Prize will launch a postgraduate course called the “Earthshot Climate Leadership Programme”. Starting in early 2026, it will recruit 40 students per cohort, with six cohorts planned by 2030, training about 240 young leaders to guide Brazil’s low‑carbon future.
Finance / Investment: A new strategic collaboration with venture‑capital firm 500 Global will be used to de‑risk early‑stage climate investments in emerging markets, leveraging the Earthshot Prize’s portfolio of global finalists (40% of which come from the Global South). The focus will be on AgTech, CleanTech and NatureTech. The rollout is set for the first half of 2026.
Innovation / Hub Creation: The Prize will establish a climate‑innovation hub in Rio de Janeiro with support from local government and 500 Global. The hub will host accelerator programmes, networking events and masterclasses to help entrepreneurs, academics and investors develop new climate solutions. It will also connect with the existing technology‑innovation ecosystem in São Paulo through Cubo Itaú.
Storytelling / Public Awareness: To highlight Brazil’s role in tackling environmental challenges, a new book profiling 26 Brazilian climate‑innovation projects (including finalists from 2025) has been released. It was created in partnership with the Arapyau Institute and Itaúsa Institute and is freely available online.
Strategic Significance
The initiative comes as the Earthshot Prize prepares to host its awards in Brazil in 2025, a year in which the spotlight is already on the country’s role in climate action and sustainability. The Legacy Programme is intended to ensure the focus remains long after the ceremony, with measurable outcomes rather than symbolic gestures.
As the director in Brazil for the Earthshot Prize observed: Brazil has “immense green transformational potential”, and bringing together business, science and policy actors can help turn “urgent optimism into enduring progress”.
Looking Ahead
With a structured plan, the Earthshot Prize’s Brazilian Legacy Programme sets out concrete targets for building capacity, mobilising investment and promoting innovation. For Brazil, it represents a major bid to entwine climate goals with economic development, positioning the country not just as a host, but as a proactive partner in the global climate effort.