Zayed Sustainability Prize opens for submissions with boosted $5.9m fund

Applications for 2025 cycle are now welcome

President Sheikh Mohamed with the the Zayed Sustainability Prize winners during Cop28. Photo: UAE Presidential Court ---

The Zayed Sustainability Prize – which recognises and rewards people, organisations and high schools that have demonstrated exceptional efforts in promoting sustainability – is officially welcoming new submissions.

The 2025 cycle will be accepting entries until June 23 through the prize’s online portal.

Small to medium enterprises, non-profit organisations and high schools with sustainable solutions are invited to submit applications.

There are six categories: heath, food, energy, water, climate action and global high schools. The prize for each category is $1 million.

This represents a big increase, with the prize increasing its fund from $3.6 million to $5.9 million for its latest edition.

The global high schools category has been split into six world regions, with a prize of $150,000 available for each. The regions are: the Americas, Europe and Central Asia, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and East Asia and Pacific.

Submissions will be accepted in several languages, including Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Cop28 President, said: “Since 2008, the Zayed Sustainability Prize has honoured the legacy of Sheikh Zayed by fostering inclusive sustainable and humanitarian development around the world.

“In this decisive decade for climate change, these values are more important than ever.

“I am optimistic that the prize will contribute to global climate action in line with the UAE Consensus, which will pave the way towards an effective response to the global stocktake decision.”

The most recent winners were recognised at Cop28 in Dubai’s Expo City, while the 2025 contingent will be announced during the 2025 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.

The annual prize was launched in 2008, named in honour of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.