ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 15th Dec, 2025) As the UAE prepares to announce the latest winners of the Zayed Sustainability prize next month, the pioneering award continues to reinforce its position as one of the world's most influential platforms for advancing sustainable development and community impact.
Established in 2008 to honour the legacy and values of the UAE's Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Prize has grown over 17 years into a catalyst for innovation that has transformed communities across more than 150 countries.
This year, the Prize recorded its largest-ever global participation, receiving 7,761 submissions from 173 countries for the 2026 awards cycle, a 30 percent increase from the previous year. Entrants are competing across six categories: Health, food, Energy, Water, Climate Action, and Global High Schools.
The surge reflects a rapidly growing international interest in scalable, high-impact solutions, particularly those powered by advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and financial technology tools.
Analysis of the 2026 submissions indicates that 85 percent originated from developing or emerging economies, highlighting the Prize's growing relevance in regions where sustainable solutions are most urgently needed. India, Ethiopia, Uzbekistan, Brazil, and Indonesia ranked among the top contributing nations, representing a broad spectrum of global innovation.
In the Health category, submissions increased by more than 60 percent, with a strong emphasis on AI-enabled diagnostics, wearable technologies, and decentralised medical care.
The Energy category saw rising interest in thermal energy storage, advanced low-carbon fuels, and next-generation energy systems, while the Water category featured new approaches to expanding freshwater access, including atmospheric water generation and low-energy desalination.
Since its inception, the Zayed Sustainability Prize has recognised 128 winners, whose collective impact has reached over 400 million people worldwide.
These solutions span rural electrification, clean water access, climate-resilient agriculture, affordable healthcare innovation, and youth-led sustainability programmes.
From off-grid solar networks in Kenya and Rwanda, to community-based water purification in Fiji, to food-security initiatives in India and Colombia, the Prize continues to empower projects that deliver measurable, long-term benefits.
A central pillar of this impact is the Global High Schools category, which enables students to develop and implement sustainability projects in their own communities.
Schools across Africa, Asia, the middle East, and the Pacific have built solar installations, launched recycling programmes, introduced clean-water systems, and embedded sustainability into their learning environments, fostering a new generation of environmentally conscious leaders.
Each year, these efforts come into global view at the Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony, held during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and attended by heads of state, ministers, international organisations, innovators, and youth leaders. The ceremony celebrates 11 winners, spotlighting their remarkable contributions to an inclusive and sustainable world. It also pays tribute to the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and inspires collective action to advance the global sustainability agenda.
The 2026 winners will be announced on 13th January 2026 during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. Winners in the Health, Food, Energy, Water, and Climate Action categories will each receive US$1 million, while Global High Schools winners -- representing the world's regions -- will receive US$150,000 to implement or expand their sustainability initiatives.
With record participation, rising global interest, and a clear shift toward technology-enabled solutions, the upcoming awards are set to mark another milestone in a legacy that continues to drive meaningful, inclusive, and scalable progress worldwide.