Prince Harry Named to “TIME”100 Climate List for His Work with Travalyst

"Tourism has the potential to make an incredible difference, if we channel it with good intentions," Prince Harry previously said about the initiative's mission

Prince Harry is being recognized as a leader driving climate action as the founder of Travalyst in the second annual TIME100 Climate 2024 list.

On Nov. 12, TIME unveiled the cohort of changemakers it is celebrating as "the 100 most influential leaders driving business to real climate action," and the Duke of Sussex landed on the list for his environmental tourism initiative. Prince Harry, 40, was recognized in the same "Titan" category as Bill Gates and Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the King of Bhutan, among others, and his profile bio reflected his inspiration for founding Travalyst.

"The Duke of Sussex supports conservation groups in Africa and says he really became an environmentalist during a trip in 2012 to the Caribbean when a 7-year-old boy told him that England’s environmental impact was damaging the coral reefs," the TIME spotlight said, linking to PEOPLE's coverage of the Travalyst launch in 2019.

Related: Prince Harry's Initiative Travalyst Celebrates Its Five Year Anniversary in N.Y.C.: 'Massive Force for Good'

"After that interaction, he was inspired to start Travalyst ('travel' and 'catalyst'), a nonprofit that provides people booking travel with emissions and other sustainability data so they can consider the lowest impact options," it said.

The tribute continued to highlight the startling statistic that tourism accounts for about 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with Travalyst endeavoring to "help make a dent in the industry’s carbon footprint."

In 2022, Travalyst and Google collaborated to create the free Travel Impact Model that predicts per-passenger carbon dioxide emissions for upcoming flights so passengers can make more informed choices. Travalyst's partners include Booking.com, Expedia Group, Mastercard, Skyscanner, Tripadvisor and Visa, the TIME100 Climate statement said. It also called out how Travalyst marked a milestone in September — having its flight emissions data appear in over 65 billion searches globally.

Related: CEO of Prince Harry's Initiative Travalyst Says He 'Restored' Her 'Hope' in Fighting Climate Change (Exclusive)

Prince Harry started Travalyst while he was still a working royal, and has continued to helm the initiative after he and his wife, Meghan Markle, relocated to her home state of California in 2020. In September, the Duke of Sussex celebrated the fifth anniversary of Travalyst during his visit to New York City, where he described the heart of its mission.

"Tourism has the potential to make an incredible difference, if we channel it with good intentions. With the industry set for massive growth, expected to rep nearly 11.4% of the global economy by 2033, we have to be single minded in how we harness that power," Prince Harry said at the event, which PEOPLE attended.

"At Travalyst, we're committed to creating a tourism industry that works for everyone, not just those sitting in board rooms or on faraway islands. Our collective responsibility is clear: to ensure that travel becomes a positive impact sector and that benefits reach every level of society," he added.

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Prince Harry's recognition in the TIME100 Climate 2024 list comes a few days after his brother, Prince William, celebrated the fourth cycle of his Earthshot Prize Awards in Cape Town, South Africa.

The Prince of Wales, 42, launched the global contest in 2020 to inspire impactful approaches to today's most urgent environmental challenges. The Earthshot Prize plans to award $1.3 million prizes in five flagship categories annually until 2030 to scale the solutions to help repair the planet.