Eligible Participation Categories
Individuals
Who can participate
School students (aged 13 and above)
University students
Professionals
Prize for Individuals
First place
25,000 AED ≈ $6,750 USD
Second place
15,000 AED ≈ $4,050 USD
Third place
10,000 AED ≈ $2,700 USD
Groups
Who can participate
Groups may consist of a maximum of 5 of the following:
School students (aged 13 and above)
University students
Professionals
A combination of the above categories
Prize for Groups
First place
25,000 AED ≈ $6,750 USD
Second place
15,000 AED ≈ $4,050 USD
Third place
10,000 AED ≈ $2,700 USD
Schools &
Universities
Who can participate
Schools as entities
Universities as entities
Prize for Schools & Universities
First place
25,000 AED ≈ $6,750 USD
Second place
15,000 AED ≈ $4,050 USD
Third place
10,000 AED ≈ $2,700 USD
Corporates
Who can participate
Government entities submitting a project as an entity
Private sector entities submitting a project as an entity
Award Benefits
Enhance brand reputation
Establish an environmental image
Build relationships with international organizations
Highlight employees' efforts and achievements
Encourage innovation and creativity
Recognized at an award ceremony with an international audience and exposure
Award Categories
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Sustainability Initiative
This category is about doing, not just proposing.
A project that has already been implemented and demonstrates measurable sustainability impact through programs, campaigns, policies, operational improvements, or community action.Required Evidence
- Photos and videos
- Activity reports
- Project timeline
- Event records
Judging Focus
- Real-world implementation
- Measurable impact
- Community engagement
- Scalability
- Sustainability of results
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Sustainability Prototype
This category is about building and testing.
A physical, digital, or technological prototype that demonstrates how an innovation can solve a sustainability or environmental challenge.
Prototype Readiness Requirement
The idea must be developed beyond concept stage.Accepted forms:
- Working prototype
- Functional MVP
- Interactive software demo
- Prototype demonstration video
- Technical drawings
- Software screenshots
- System architecture
Judging Focus
- Innovation
- Technical quality
- Feasibility
- Environmental impact
- Commercialization potential
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Sustainability Documentary
This category is about educating and inspiring through storytelling.
A 10-15 minute documentary film that investigates, explains, or highlights a sustainability challenge, community issue, or environmental success story.
What is NOT allowed
- Promotional videos
- Advertisements
- Social media reels
- Fictional stories
- General awareness videos under 3 minutes
Required Evidence
- Final documentary video
- Script or transcript
- Production credits
Judging Focus
- Accuracy
- Storytelling quality
- Research depth
- Educational value
- Potential to drive action
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Sustainability Solution
This category is about solving a problem through a well-developed and evidence-based proposal.
A comprehensive solution proposal addressing a sustainability challenge through policy, business innovation, process improvement, social innovation, technology, or systems thinking.
Unlike the Prototype category, a Sustainability Solution does not necessarily require a fully built prototype, but must provide strong evidence that the concept is viable.
Required Evidence
- Problem Analysis: Clear problem statement, root-cause analysis, supporting data
- Solution Design: Detailed methodology supported by AI tools, surveys, case studies, etc.
Judging Focus
- Problem understanding
- Innovation
- Feasibility
- Potential impact
- Scalability
Award Themes
Participants should identify a specific environmental, sustainability, or societal challenge and develop an innovative, practical, and scalable solution that addresses one or more of the following award themes:
Energy efficiency and conservation
Participants’ solution must contain proof of reducing energy consumption while
maintaining or improving performance. The goal is to use less energy, eliminate waste, and improve operational efficiency.
What Judges Will Look For:
- Measurable reduction in energy use
- Evidence of energy savings
- Ease of implementation
- Scalability to large facilities or communities
Waste reduction and circular economy
Solutions should reduce waste generation, promote reuse, improve recycling extend product life recover value from discarded materials, and keeping materials in use for as long as possible.
What Judges Will Look For:
- Reduction in landfill waste
- Circularity of the solution
- Resource recovery potential
- Environmental impact
Clean or renewable energy
Solutions should promote producing energy from sustainable, low-carbon sources instead of fossil fuels. Solar energy, wind energy, hydrogen energy, waste-to-energy, geothermal energy, energy storage system solutions all fit under this theme.
What Judges Will Look For:
- Amount of emissions reduced
- Renewable energy generated
- Cost effectiveness
- Technical feasibility
- Commercial potential
AI or digital tools for sustainability
This theme is about using artificial intelligence, data analytics, digital platforms, IoT, blockchain, drones, or smart technologies to solve sustainability challenges.
What Judges Will Look For:
- Innovation level
- Data-driven decision making
- Real-world applicability
- Sustainability impact
- Scalability
Sustainable design or infrastructure
Solutions could tackle designing buildings, cities, products, transportation systems, and infrastructure that minimize environmental impact and improve resilience. They could solve issues auch as high building energy consumption, water scarcity, poor urban planning, unsustainable construction materials, etc.
What Judges Will Look For:
- Sustainability by design
- Life-cycle impact
- Resource efficiency
- User benefits
- Long-term resilience
Net-zero strategies
Participants should develop solutions that help organizations, cities, industries, or communities reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero.
What Judges Will Look For:
- Carbon reduction potential
- Alignment with climate goals
- Quantifiable impact
- Measurement methodology
- Scalability
Healthcare
*In collaboration with Mass General Brigham & Dana-Farber
This category focuses on improving human health while supporting environmental sustainability, public well-being, and resilient healthcare systems. Solutions could focus on issues such as medical waste management, disease prevention, healthcare facility sustainability, and public health monitoring.
What Judges Will Look For
- Improvement in health outcomes
- Environmental impact reduction
- Patient and community benefits
- Innovation
- Feasibility
Common Questions
Everything you need to know about the process. Can’t find what you’re looking for?
Contact Support-
What format should my video be in?
Incomplete, late, or duplicate submissions will not be considered. Each entrant or team may submit more than one entry, provided each entry meets the category requirements on its own.
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Where can I ask questions after watching?
Incomplete, late, or duplicate submissions will not be considered. Each entrant or team may submit more than one entry, provided each entry meets the category requirements on its own.
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Are the videos available in Arabic?
Incomplete, late, or duplicate submissions will not be considered. Each entrant or team may submit more than one entry, provided each entry meets the category requirements on its own.
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Is there a time limit for each how-to video?
Incomplete, late, or duplicate submissions will not be considered. Each entrant or team may submit more than one entry, provided each entry meets the category requirements on its own.
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What format should my video be in?
Incomplete, late, or duplicate submissions will not be considered. Each entrant or team may submit more than one entry, provided each entry meets the category requirements on its own.
