Prince William’s Earthshot Prize ceremony airs on PBS, BBC

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Category: Science/Environment

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. found / faʊnd / (v.) – to create or start something that will continue for a long time
    Example:

    Migrants from the U.K. founded the first cities in the U.S.


  2. groundbreaking / ˈgraʊndˌbreɪ kɪŋ / (adj.) – new or very different from the usual
    Example:

    The invention of the smartphone is truly a groundbreaking event in the history of communication.


  3. inaugural / ɪnˈɔ gyər əl / (adj.) – the first event in a series of planned events
    Example:

    The inaugural conference of the United Nations was held in January 1946.


  4. big-name / bɪg neɪm / (adj.) – famous or important
    Example:

    The celebrity’s birthday was attended by many big-name artists.


  5. accelerate / ækˈsɛl əˌreɪt / (v.) – to make something happen sooner or faster
    Example:

    Extra funding from the government and donors accelerated the construction of the bridge.


Article

Read the text below.

The Earthshot Prize, founded by Britain’s Prince William to honor groundbreaking solutions to environmental issues, broadcasted its second ceremony on PBS and the BBC.


William, who launched the global prize with The Royal Foundation, joined the event filmed on Dec. 2 in Boston and aired Dec. 4 on Britain’s BBC. On Dec. 5, it streamed on PBS.org, the PBS app and PBS YouTube channel, and on The Earthshot Prize YouTube channel. PBS stations will also air the ceremony on Dec. 14.


In a statement, BBC executive Jack Bootle said last year’s inaugural ceremony included “big-name stars and brilliant musical acts. This year’s will be every bit as spectacular.”


The prize, inspired by and with a name echoing President John F. Kennedy’s 1961 challenge to America to land a man on the moon by that decade’s end, aims to “discover and scale the best solutions to help repair our planet within the next decade,” according to a release.


Each of this year’s five winners will receive $1 million to accelerate their projects aimed at the prize’s 2030 goals: protecting and restoring nature; cleaning the air; reviving the oceans; building a waste-free world, and fixing the climate.


“We support the mission of The Earthshot Prize and are looking forward to creating year-round content that showcases the work of the individuals and teams who are working to protect the planet with breakthrough innovations,” Paula Kerger, PBS president and CEO, said in a statement.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • The Earthshot Prize was founded to honor groundbreaking solutions to environmental issues. What’s the most interesting environmental solution that you’ve heard of (ex. creating drinking straws from bamboo, turning plastic waste into furniture)? What makes this solution interesting for you? Discuss.
  • The prize aims to “discover and scale the best solutions to help repair our planet within the next decade.” Why do you think Prince William focused on this issue? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Do you have a contest for environmental projects in your country? Would you be interested to join a contest like this? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • The competition’s goals include protecting and restoring nature, cleaning the air, reviving the oceans, building a waste-free world, and fixing the climate. Which of these do you think your country should prioritize? Discuss.