Zayed Sustainability Prize Named 2027 Finalists
The international competition reached a record 10,233 entries from 177 countries this year.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Environmental
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The Zayed Sustainability Prize announced its finalists for the 2027 competition, marking a 32 percent increase in entries from the previous year. Projects in health, food, energy, water, climate action, and global high schools are competing for expanded funding awards.
Why it matters
The prize increased funding for finalists to recognize the significant potential of solutions that advance to the final evaluation stage. These projects contribute to a legacy that has already reached more than 411 million lives worldwide.
Finalists in organisational categories receive $100,000 each, while global high school finalists are awarded $25,000. These figures are guaranteed regardless of final outcomes.
The players
Zayed Sustainability Prize
This international award, now in its 18th year and administered in the UAE, recognizes impactful and innovative sustainability solutions.
The details
Entries are evaluated across six distinct categories: health, food, energy, water, climate action, and global high schools. A jury selects the finalists, who are now guaranteed funding to further their humanitarian and sustainability efforts.
Timeline
Finalists were announced on September 28, 2026.
Winners will be announced on January 12, 2027.
The Big Picture
The 18th cycle of the Zayed Sustainability Prize continues a multi-year trajectory of growth in global participation. By increasing funding for finalists, the program signals a shift toward supporting a broader range of sustainable development projects.
These awards provide critical capital to projects focused on water, food, and energy security that can eventually scale into consumer-facing solutions. Successful prototypes from these categories may lead to more accessible clean energy or agricultural technologies in the coming years.
The takeaway
The surge in entries indicates an increasing global commitment to finding solutions for climate and humanitarian challenges. Readers can monitor how these high-school and organizational projects evolve into scalable models for sustainable living.
What happens next
Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony held in Abu Dhabi on January 12, 2027.
Further reading
For more information on global sustainability initiatives, visit our Environmental section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The National.
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