Britain's Prince William speaks with guests at the inaugural Earthshot Prize ceremony in London on Oct. 17, 2021.
(Photo: AFP-Yonhap)
Costa Rica is among the five winners of the first ever Earthshot prizes set up by Queen Elizabeth II's grandson Prince William to reward people trying to save the planet.
The Central American country won for a scheme launched to restore natural ecosystems.
Another prize was given to two best friends who grow coral in the Bahamas.
Each of the winning entries will receive a million pounds, which is over 1.3 million dollars.
U.S. President Joe Biden's climate change envoy, John Kerry, spoke at the awards ceremony held Sunday at London's Alexandra Palace.
[Clip: Kerry]
"There is reason the be filled with hope and even with optimism about our future. The finalists and winners that we've recognized this evening remind us that we do have an incredible ability to turn the improbable into reality if we work together."
Ahead of the event, Prince William suggested entrepreneurs should do more to save Earth rather than invest in space tourism.
In an interview with the BBC last week, the Duke of Cambridge said great brains and minds should be "trying to repair this planet, not trying to find the next place to go and live."