The winners of the Zayed Sustainability Prize have been announced. Awarded by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, the Prize in sustainability and humanitarianism was presented during a ceremony attended by numerous heads of delegations participating in COP28, ministers, senior government officials, and Prize winners and finalists.
The Prize rewards small and medium enterprises, nonprofit organisations, and high schools addressing health, food, energy, water and climate-related challenges.
It was shared that over the last 15 years, through its 106 previous winners, the Prize has “transformed the lives of 384 million people worldwide.”
The eleven winners were selected in September by a panel of Jury members, who rigorously evaluated each submission for its contribution and commitment to delivering impactful, innovative, and inspiring solutions across the six categories of Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action and Global High Schools.
Further, it was shared that the Zayed Sustainability Prize will be increasing its endowment, from US $3.6M to US $5.9M, effective immediately.
H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Director General of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, and COP28 President, said: “Today, the UAE reaffirms its dedication to combat climate change and empower vulnerable communities as we award US $1 million to each of our distinguished winners in Health, Food, Water, Energy and Climate Action, and US $150,000 to each Global High Schools winner. This substantial funding will help scale their innovative solutions and deliver transformational progress around the world, especially across the Global South.”
“As the Zayed Sustainability Prize’s 15th anniversary draws to a close, we reflect on the UAE’s mission to drive inclusive sustainable development and climate action. The Prize not only honours Sheikh Zayed’s legacy of social good but extends the reach of his vision on a global scale.”
In the new Climate Action category, Kelp Blue, a Namibian SME, won the Prize for its efforts to cultivate large-scale kelp forests in deep waters, contributing to the restoration of the ocean. Their operations have also generated job opportunities in coastal communities.
In the Health category, Indonesia’s doctorSHARE was awarded the Prize for its pioneering work in bringing healthcare access to hard-to-reach areas, notably with barge-mounted floating hospitals. Their impact is substantial, having treated over 160,000 patients.
In the Food category, Gaza Urban & Peri-urban Agricultural Platform (GUPAP) from Palestine, won for its contributions to supporting a more resilient agricultural sector in Gaza. The NPO facilitates access to locally produced food, providing job security to 200 women agriprenuers and benefitting more than 7,000 people.
In the Energy category, Ignite Power, an SME from Rwanda, was awarded the Prize for its transformative efforts to provide affordable electricity to last-mile communities across Sub-Saharan Africa. Their pay-as-you-go solar solutions provided electricity to 2.5 million people and prevented 600,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Beyond access to clean energy, Ignite Power has also introduced solar-powered irrigation solutions and generated 3,500 local jobs.
In the Water category, Eau et Vie, an NPO from France, won for its contributions to ensuring access to clean water in impoverished areas by installing taps in urban homes. They have increased water access for 52,000 people in 27 communities across ten cities. Furthermore, they raised awareness of hygienic practices for 66,000 individuals and reduced the cost of water by 75%.
The Chair of the Jury and former President of the Republic of Iceland, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, said: “This year’s winners have demonstrated a remarkable wave of ingenuity in their solutions to address urgent global challenges. We have confidence that these winners will catalyse substantial and scalable change in communities worldwide, propelling us towards vital climate action objectives and forging a path to a sustainable future for all.”
The Zayed Sustainability Prize also engages young people through its Global High Schools category and encourages youth to take an active role in supporting their communities and becoming future sustainability leaders.
The Prize’s 47 Global High Schools winners have impacted the lives of over 55,186 students and 453,887 people in their wider communities.
The recipients of the Global High Schools awards are Colegio De Alto Rendimiento De La Libertad (Peru), representing The Americas; Gwani Ibrahim Dan Hajja Academy (Nigeria), representing Sub-Saharan Africa; International School (Morocco), representing the Middle East & North Africa; Northfleet Technology College (United Kingdom), representing Europe & Central Asia; KORT Education Complex (Pakistan), representing South Asia; and finally, Beijing High School No. 35 (China), representing East Asia & Pacific.