Africa’s Roam Motors and Mukuru Clean Stoves Nominated as Finalists for the 2022 Earthshot Prize

Roam Motors and Mukuru Clean Stoves have been shortlisted as finalists for the 2022 Earthshot Prize.

Founded by Prince William, the Earthshot Prize is a global environmental initiative that finds and spotlights ground-breaking solutions across the world with the potential to fix the climate crisis. 

The Earthshot Prize is centred around five ‘Earthshots’ – simple, ambitious, and aspirational goals defining the world we wish to build for future generations. The prize is driven by 5 targets which are, Protect and Restore Nature, Clean our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World, and Fix our Climate.

Roam, a Swedish-Kenyan technology company is the only African electric mobility company to be listed. The electric mobility company develops, designs and deploys electric vehicles tailored for the African continent, leading the transition to sustainable transport.

Mukuru Clean Stoves, the other African venture listed is a social enterprise that designs, produces and distributes improved, reliable and affordable cook stoves for low-income households. Its cook stoves are made using locally sourced recycled waste metal. This reduces production costs and makes the products affordable for our target market.

Speaking on the remarkable feat, Albin Wilson, Chief Strategy & Product Officer at Roam said, “Reaching the finals of the Earthshot Prize Award is no small feat and we are honoured to be one of the finalists. We see ourselves as innovators, leaders, and visionaries working with the urgency required to provide an alternative to fuel-based transportation that causes harm to the environment. We are addressing the source of the climate change challenge – carbon emissions – and offering electric mobility a foot to stand on.”  

Mukuru Clean Stoves while commenting on its nomination said, “We are proud to be nominated alongside this amazing cohort of global climate action innovators, who are bringing ground-breaking solutions to the world’s biggest climate issues.”

‍Prince William said: “The innovators, leaders, and visionaries that make up our 2022 Earthshot Finalists prove there are many reasons to be optimistic about the future of our planet. They are directing their time, energy, and talent towards bold solutions with the power to not only solve our planet’s greatest environmental challenges, but to create healthier, more prosperous, and more sustainable communities for generations to come.”

“I am so excited to celebrate these fifteen Finalists and see the five Winners of The Earthshot Prize announced in Boston – the hometown of President John F. Kennedy, who shared The Earthshot Prize’s belief that seemingly impossible goals are within reach if we only harness the limitless power of innovation, human ingenuity, and urgent optimism.”

In addition to their eligibility for the £1 million prize, all Finalists will receive tailored support and resources from The Earthshot Prize Global Alliance Members, an unprecedented network of private sector businesses around the world committed to helping scale innovative climate and environmental solutions and multiplying their impact.

The five Winners will be selected by The Earthshot Prize Council, a diverse team of influential individuals committed to using their platforms to champion inspiring leadership and elevate urgent efforts to repair and regenerate the planet.

The Earthshot Prize awards ceremony will take place on Friday, December 2 at the MGM Music Hall in Boston.

Here’s the complete list of finalists:

The Earthshot Prize to Protect and Restore Nature

1. Desert Agricultural Transformation, China: A team developing cutting-edge agricultural breakthroughs to turn barren desert landscapes into lush, green ones.
2. Hutan, Malaysia: An inspiring conservation model that protects orangutans, supports local jobs and livelihoods and restores forests to their former greatness.
3. Kheyti, India: A pioneering solution for local smallholder farmers to reduce costs, increase yields and protect livelihoods in a country on the frontlines of climate change.

The Earthshot Prize to Clean Our Air

1. The Ampd Enertainer, Hong Kong: An emission-free electric battery system to power construction and reduce pollution.
2. Mukuru Clean Stoves, Kenya: A start-up providing cleaner-burning stoves to women in Kenya to reduce unhealthy indoor pollution and provide a safer way to cook.
3. Roam, Kenya: An organisation building lower emission vehicles, making clean transportation accessible and affordable for urban cities on the African continent.

The Earthshot Prize to Revive Our Oceans

1. The Great Bubble Barrier, Netherlands: Inventive and ingenious technique to intercept plastics before they reach oceans by creating a curtain of bubbles.
2. Indigenous Women of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia: An inspiring women-led programme that combines 60,000 years of indigenous knowledge with digital technologies to protect land and sea.
3. SeaForester, Portugal: A truly cutting-edge breakthrough in seaweed farming that can restore the ocean’s forgotten forests.

The Earthshot Prize to Build A Waste-Free World

1. City of Amsterdam Circular Economy, Netherlands: A city-wide initiative to establish a fully circular economy by 2050, wasting nothing and recycling everything.
2. Fleather, India: An innovative and regenerative approach to creating leather out of floral waste.
3. Notpla, United Kingdom: A circular solution creating an alternative to plastic packaging from seaweed.

The Earthshot Prize to Fix Our Climate

1. LanzaTech, USA: A circular solution that recycles carbon waste into sustainable fuels and everyday products.
2. Low Carbon Materials, United Kingdom: A new and innovative material that uses unrecyclable plastic waste to make traditional concrete blocks carbon zero.
3. 44.01, Oman: Childhood friends who have developed an innovative technique to turn CO2 into rock, and permanently store it underground.