Zayed Sustainability Prize announces 33 finalists for 2026 with a focus on immediate impact and global collaboration

The Zayed Sustainability Prize, a prominent initiative based in the UAE that recognizes innovative solutions tackling global challenges, has announced the 33 finalists for its 2026 awards. These outstanding projects were selected from a really competitive pool of 7,761 submissions coming from 173 different countries. The finalists showcase groundbreaking work in key areas essential to sustainable development—clean energy, safe water, nutritious food, quality healthcare, and climate resilience. Their projects often combine cutting-edge technology with community involvement and local adaptation, positively affecting millions of lives around the world.

The prize was established to honor Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s legacy and his vision of humanitarian-focused sustainable growth. Over time, it has become a major catalyst for global progress. So far, the 128 winners have collectively improved the lives of more than 400 million people. That includes, for example, 11.4 million individuals gaining access to safe drinking water, 54.1 million households connected to reliable power, 17 million benefiting from better nutrition, and over 1.2 million receiving affordable healthcare services. These impressive figures really underline how broad and impactful the prize’s work has been, demonstrating the real-world effectiveness of the innovations it supports.

The finalists for this upcoming edition of the prize were chosen after a very thorough assessment process by a distinguished jury led by H.E. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson. His remarks reflect a changing view of what sustainability means today. He pointed out that “sustainability is no longer some far-off goal—it’s a reality that communities, young people, and innovators around the world are living every day.” This shift signals a move toward seeing sustainability as something immediate and actionable rather than just an aspirational idea.

H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and the Director General of the Prize, emphasized how sustainable development must go hand in hand with prosperity. He noted that the finalists’ projects exemplify a new way of thinking—where “sustainability and prosperity are no longer separate goals but two sides of the same coin moving forward.” These projects make use of technology, finance, and community leadership to develop scalable, affordable, and reliable solutions that generate tangible socioeconomic benefits.

This year, the finalists are spread across six categories: Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action, and Global High Schools. Even though their approaches are quite diverse, they all share a common goal: to create solutions with transformative potential.

• Health: Among the standout initiatives is Drop Access from Kenya. It provides solar-powered refrigeration for medicines, protecting over 2.5 million vaccines and helping more than a million people. Zambia’s Healthy Learners program takes a different approach by turning schools into health hubs—training teachers as health workers who can detect diseases early, reaching over a million children. And then there’s Jade Autism based in the UAE, which harnesses AI and gamified tools to screen and support neurodiverse children worldwide.

• Food: On the food front, South Korea’s E Green Global produces disease-free seed potatoes using microtuber technology—impacting around 15 million people. INMED South Africa has developed aquaponics systems that combine fish farming with hydroponic vegetables, benefiting roughly 158,000 households and schools. Meanwhile, Singapore’s N&E Innovations tackles food waste by recycling over two tonnes of waste into biodegradable antimicrobial products, aiming to reduce environmental impact.

• Energy: When it comes to renewable energy, Switzerland’s BASE Foundation offers a “cooling as a service” model that lowers emissions and creates thousands of new jobs globally. Hong Kong’s GRST develops water-based battery recycling processes that significantly reduce manufacturing emissions. And in Guatemala, Poder y Luz Maya supports indigenous communities with solar power and digital tools, helping to cut energy use and emissions.

• Water: In Rwanda, IRIBA Water Group uses solar-powered smart water ATMs with advanced purification technology to improve access to safe drinking water for over 500,000 people. Brazil’s Stattus4 employs AI-enabled IoT systems to detect leaks in water networks—saving large amounts of water daily and boosting supply to millions. And the Netherlands’ Great Bubble Barrier uses air bubbles to catch river plastic, helping to keep marine environments cleaner.

• Climate Action: In Nepal, Build Up Nepal makes eco-bricks that are resistant to earthquakes, supporting safer building practices and reducing carbon footprints. Spain’s CLIC RECYCLE converts human hair waste into biodegradable mulch and marine filters, engaging thousands and improving soil health. GREE Energy from Hong Kong develops modular biogas systems to supply clean energy to rural food processors.

• Global High Schools: This category honors student-led sustainability projects from all around the world—aiming to inspire youth and foster engagement with environmental issues. The finalists here come from regions including the Americas, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, Europe and Central Asia, South Asia, and East Asia & Pacific.

Each main category winner receives a prize of US$1 million, while the six global high schools are eligible for awards of up to US$150,000 each. These generous prizes are meant to help broaden the reach and scale of their impactful solutions.

As climate technology continues to advance, the Zayed Sustainability Prize remains committed to highlighting innovations that are not just technically impressive but also socially inclusive. It champions solutions that respond to urgent environmental challenges while addressing the real needs of vulnerable communities. The upcoming awards ceremony, scheduled for 13 January 2026 during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, will showcase these inspiring efforts—renewing hope and motivation in the ongoing global effort to build a sustainable future.

Source: Noah Wire Services