The Real Reason Prince William Is Teaming Up With Mike Bloomberg
British royal Prince William and media mogul turned former New York City mayor turned presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg don't look like they have much in common, but a shared interest in the state of the planet has brought them together in a big way.
In October of 2020, Prince William announced the formation of the Earthshot Prize, which would award and fund projects that will "have a significant impact" on the planet and its inhabitants. Modeled after President John F. Kennedy's Moonshot program, which helped send man to the moon for the first time in 1969. At the time, Prince William said, "The Earthshot Prize aims to mobilize collective action around our unique ability to rise to the greatest challenges in human history" (via BBC).
Bloomberg is just as concerned with climate change and the state of the planet as the Duke of Cambridge, and is even a United Nations special envoy on climate change (via Bloomberg). The topic was big news at the UN General Assembly in September of 2021 and U.S. President Joe Biden has climate change initiatives in the Build Back Better plan he aims to get through Congress. With climate change being one of the most urgent matters of our time, both Prince William and Bloomberg have teamed up in a significant way to promote this cause.
Prince William and Mike Bloomberg make a push for climate initiatives
On September 28, 2021, USA Today published an editorial co-authored by Mike Bloomberg and Prince William to address the changes to our planet that cannot be reversed, as well as what man can do to adapt the way we live and at least slow things down.
In the op-ed, the men discuss the Earthshot Prize and the first award, which will be given in October. They also call for policy changes to be made now as the chance to address the climate crisis is quickly fleeting.
"The environmental devastation we are witnessing — including record-breaking temperatures across the world; wildfires in the American West, Turkey and Greece; historic flooding in Western Europe, the East Coast of the United States and Central China; and the drought-driven famines in East Africa — is larger than what was feared possible even a year ago," the two men wrote.
They also added a call to action. "For so many, simply breathing air and drinking water is now a health hazard. Many others have seen their food supplies grow scarce and their livelihoods threatened by disruptions to the climate, including in the ocean. The science tells us that this is the decade to act — and that waiting is not an option."
Bloomberg's charity, Bloomberg Philanthropies, is also one of the organizations contributing to the EarthShot prize. Other organizations include Bezos Earth Fund and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.