Prince William’s Earthshot Prize, the royal family’s flagship climate initiative, is facing a significant leadership shake-up just as global climate urgency intensifies. The decade-long programme has already awarded £20 million in grants to innovators since 2021, underscoring its bold mission.
This spring, however, the Prize announced that CEO Hannah Jones – a former Nike sustainability chief – will step down after four years at the helm. William praised her tenure, noting that “as the first CEO, Hannah has built The Prize into a world-class organisation”.
Jones herself said, “after four years… this is my time to pass the baton”, framing the handover as planned succession rather than crisis.
Global Stakes
Earthshot’s transition arrives amid a surge in climate innovation worldwide. Applications for environmental prizes have skyrocketed: in 2024, Earthshot received 5,342 nominations from 141 countries, a record level of global engagement.
Likewise, investors are pouring unprecedented resources into climate action. For example, a global coalition of banks, asset managers, and funds representing over $130 trillion in assets has committed to net-zero targets.
In this crowded funding landscape, Earthshot’s £1 million awards (across five environmental categories) now rank among the most prestigious accolades for scientific and entrepreneurial climate solutions.
Foundation Heritage
William’s commitment to environmental causes runs in the family. His grandfather, Prince Philip, helped found the World Wildlife Fund in 1961, and his father, King Charles III, has long championed organic farming and climate advocacy since the 1970s.
This legacy informed William’s own initiatives: the Royal Foundation (est. 2009) originally incubated his climate work. In 2022, the Earthshot Prize formally became an independent charity, with William assuming the role of President.
This institutional pedigree – combining decades of royal conservation focus with new leadership – underscores Earthshot’s roots.
Mounting Pressures
The stakes have never been higher. International climate summits and investor pledges have proliferated, heightening pressure on awards like Earthshot to deliver results. For instance, 450+ financial institutions worldwide have pledged over $130 trillion toward net-zero goals.
Meanwhile, Earthshot ceremonies themselves have become grand international events. Starting in London (2021), the awards moved to Boston (2022), Singapore (2023), and Cape Town (2024), each time amplifying global attention.
All this unfolds against a ticking clock: Earthshot’s own timeline (10 awards by 2030) coincides with climate tipping points, making it urgent for the organisation to spot and scale transformative solutions rapidly.
Leadership Departure
The announced exit of Hannah Jones marks a pivotal juncture. Jones is credited with launching Earthshot from a concept into a global platform. In four years, she shepherded 60 finalists from among thousands of contenders and helped channel millions in new funding.
William paid tribute to her impact: “As the first CEO, Hannah has built the prize into a world-class organisation,” he said. Jones emphasized that her resignation – effective this summer – is simply “my time to pass the baton” after mid-decade.
Under her watch, Earthshot’s annual Prize grew from a start-up gathering to a high-profile movement, and she will remain involved as an advisor. The handover is therefore cast as a smooth strategic transition, not turmoil.
Regional Impact
One hallmark of Jones’s tenure was widening Earthshot’s reach beyond Western nations. In 2024, African innovators took center stage: Ghana’s Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO) won in the “Clean Our Air” category for its waste-recycling efforts, and Kenya’s Keep IT Cool (solar refrigeration for farmers and fishers) won in “Build a Waste-Free World.” The energy in Cape Town was palpable.
As GAYO project manager Jacob Attakpah put it before the awards night, “Not if we win…when we win,” confidently predicting his team’s victory.
Keep IT Cool’s co-founder, Francis Nderitu, highlighted the mission’s community roots: “Our collaboration with Acumen centers on our mutual commitment to uplifting underserved African communities… boosting their productivity, improving market access, and minimizing waste”.
Personal Transformation
Jones brought a corporate innovation mindset and optimism to royal philanthropy. A former Nike executive, she often speaks of climate work as an opportunity for creativity. “I live in a place of urgent optimism,” she has said, stressing that reframing environmental challenges as innovation fronts can unleash new ideas.
At Nike she created one of the first Chief Sustainability Officer roles and drove big eco-projects; at Earthshot she applied that experience to mobilize tech and industry.
This background – blending business rigor with visionary zeal – helped reshape Earthshot into a movement that connects leading scientists, entrepreneurs and youth activists worldwide.
Corporate Response
Major philanthropies and media brands have taken notice of Earthshot’s model. For example, Earthshot finalists and winners were featured in high-profile events like London Climate Action Week and on outlets from CNN to Globo in Brazil.
Inspired by Earthshot’s success, some funders are adjusting their own criteria to spotlight community-driven projects.
The Bloomberg Philanthropies Earthshot Innovation Summit in September 2024 (held alongside climate talks) underscored this shift. Even tech titans have launched new environmental awards or expanded existing ones to reward impact at scale. Earthshot has become a benchmark: by championing tangible outcomes, it is nudging corporates and donors to tie prize funding more directly to measurable solutions.
Systemic Shifts
By showcasing tangible results, Earthshot has accelerated environmental innovation globally. The Prize reports that its 60 finalists (from 2021–24) have collectively reduced or removed roughly 420,000 tonnes of CO₂ and protected 170,000 square kilometers of ecosystems.
Their solutions have also saved millions of tonnes of water and waste. Such demonstrable impact has caught the eye of policymakers: several governments now cite Earthshot finalists when designing startup funds or clean-tech policies.
Universities, too, are tailoring research programs around Earthshot’s five goals, and new funding streams (like climate innovation grants) often refer to the Prize’s categories as examples.
Succession Surprise
Jason Knauf’s rise as the new CEO surprised many. Knauf had been William’s right-hand man in charge of communications and strategy, but his career had been closely linked with palace controversies. He was a Royal Foundation CEO until 2022 and helped originate Earthshot, serving as a trustee from the start.
Conservationist Christiana Figueres noted he “brings deep knowledge” of the organisation into his new role.
Yet Knauf is perhaps best known to the public for his role in the family’s media sagas: in 2018, he filed a complaint accusing Meghan Markle of bullying staff – an allegation she strongly denied and which was formally investigated.
Internal Tensions
Knauf’s return to the spotlight has reignited whispers about the Royal family dynamics. He left the Prince and Princess of Wales’ Royal Foundation in early 2022 (officially to work abroad), but palace-watchers note that period overlapped with William mediating between Harry and Meghan.
The bullying complaint Knauf filed against Meghan became public just as the Sussexes were settling in the U.S. – and Buckingham Palace quietly investigated it the following year.
Some wonder if bringing Knauf back could resurface old disputes. Others argue that his Palace experience simply makes him efficient at internal diplomacy. For now, the priority in Kensington Palace seems to be consolidating control: installing a veteran insider may help William tighten governance over his charitable network.
Strategic Realignment
Observers say Knauf’s skills align with Earthshot’s evolution into an established international institution. He is a long-time strategist and fundraiser: before the Palace, he worked in government and finance. In fact, Knauf’s early career spanned roles in New Zealand politics, the UK Treasury, and the Royal Bank of Scotland.
His combined expertise in government policy, banking, and conservation means he understands how to navigate complex networks of donors, investors, and regulators.
Christiana Figueres, Chair of Earthshot’s trustees, praised his background as perfectly timed for Earthshot’s next phase. With Knauf at the helm, the emphasis shifts from startup hustle toward diplomatic partnership-building – leveraging his “international relations” acumen to sustain growth.
Recovery Strategy
The handover has been handled with close planning. Knauf took on CEO duties immediately after the announcement, while Jones has agreed to advise and help recruit South American finalists through summer 2025. The goal is a “seamless transition” well before November’s Rio awards.
Both leaders have been working together to align Earthshot with Latin American partners and events. For example, they’ve held discussions with Brazilian officials to connect Earthshot’s agenda with the upcoming COP30 summit.
As trustee Figueres noted, Knauf will “hit the ground running” in Brazil and build on the strong foundations already laid over the last four years.
Expert Assessment
Reactions from the climate policy community have been cautiously positive but mixed. Some analysts praise the continuity: a seasoned operator like Knauf can efficiently manage the Prize’s expanding global footprint.
Conservation groups note that Earthshot’s board now includes Knauf’s contacts at organizations like Conservation International, potentially easing large-scale fundraising. But other advocates worry about maintaining the Prize’s grassroots identity.
They ask whether a return to more traditional charity administration might shift emphasis away from local community innovators. So far, the change hasn’t slowed Earthshot’s pace, but experts say they’ll be watching to see if its strategic focus remains as bold and entrepreneurial as it was under Jones.
Future Implications
All eyes are on November 2025: Earthshot’s biggest expansion yet. The awards will be hosted in Rio de Janeiro’s Museum of Tomorrow – a cutting-edge venue chosen to symbolize the Prize’s commitment to science-driven climate solutions.
Timing is key: the ceremony takes place just days before COP30 in Belém, giving Earthshot direct presence at that global summit.
The new CEO’s performance will be judged on this stage. Observers are asking whether Knauf’s diplomatic skill can steer Earthshot through volatile international climate politics, while still highlighting the innovative, “solutions-first” spirit that defined the first four Earthshots.
Political Dimensions
This leadership change comes at a fraught time for climate politics. Globally, climate policy is increasingly polarized, with some populist movements accusing elites of wasteful green spending.
The transition signals how William is positioning Earthshot in that contest. Knauf’s American roots and finance background may help maintain strong US–UK ties on sustainability, even if administrations shift.
With his arrival, the Royal family may be bracing for a world where climate aid depends on savvy cross-Atlantic alliances. Knauf could be key to negotiating funding channels between Western governments and development projects, helping Earthshot projects weather changing political winds.
International Ripples
By choosing Brazil as 2025 host, Earthshot is explicitly pivoting toward the Global South. It underscores that solutions can come from anywhere. In late 2025, Rio will not only mark the first Latin American Earthshot ceremony but will occur just before COP30 – an opportunity to spotlight Earthshot innovations in the halls of international climate talks.
Analysts note that Knauf’s diplomacy will be tested here: he may be crucial in aligning rich-nation donors with developing-country winners.
The event’s timing suggests Earthshot aims to inject its finalists’ agendas into COP negotiations. Knauf’s experience managing complex international relationships is seen as an asset for bridging gaps between funders and local innovators across continents.
Environmental Justice
Earthshot’s direction on equity is also under scrutiny. Jones often championed inventors from marginalized communities; for example, past winners have included grassroots waste pickers and Indigenous-led conservation groups. With new leadership, advocates will watch how strongly the Prize maintains that focus.
While Knauf is an institutional leader by training, he has worked closely with community-oriented programs (e.g. via Conservation International).
Still, there is concern that as Earthshot matures, it might lean more on corporate partners and large NGOs. Climate justice observers will judge the legacy of this era by whether underserved innovators continue to share the spotlight with established environmental organizations.
Cultural Evolution
The Knauf appointment epitomizes a generational shift in how we tackle sustainability. His career in finance and royal service represents the old guard of climate strategy. Meanwhile, many younger activists argue that only radical systemic change will meet the moment.
As Jones herself once put it, “every generation has to rebel and to challenge the generation before”. This transition tests whether Earthshot – an establishment-backed prize – can accommodate that rebellious spirit.
The Prize will need to balance Knauf’s emphasis on institutional growth with the disruptive energy that inspired its early winners. The narrative now is about integrating entrepreneurial innovation with tried-and-true frameworks.
Legacy Questions
Ultimately, this leadership change raises the enduring question of Earthshot’s legacy. Jones built the Prize to be a disruptive force, challenging the norms of philanthropy and showcasing bold innovators.
Knauf brings the opposite skill set: experience managing established systems and relationships. The key issue is whether the Prize’s next phase can have it both ways – preserving the entrepreneurial urgency that defined its first half, while using established networks to scale its impact globally.
How Earthshot navigates this tension will determine whether royal climate leadership can remain entrepreneurial even as it expands to become a major international institution.