The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award has officially opened its applications for the fifth edition, with a total prize pool of one million USD. This prestigious award aims to encourage innovative technologies and solutions for producing, distributing, storing, desalinating, and purifying water using renewable, clean energy sources, thereby enhancing global sustainability efforts.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Chairman of the Emirates Water Foundation, announced the commencement of registration, noting that since its inception, “Emirates Water” has contributed to providing clean water to nearly 15 million people across 37 countries through sustainable development and humanitarian projects. The Foundation, under the umbrella of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, continues to motivate innovators and researchers worldwide through the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award. This initiative seeks to develop practical, sustainable solutions for the pressing water scarcity crisis—a significant humanitarian and developmental challenge. United Nations reports highlight that approximately 2.2 billion people globally lack safely managed drinking water services, with nearly 10% of the world’s population living in countries experiencing high or critical water stress.
Al Tayer emphasized that the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award has transformed into a leading global platform for innovation in water, serving as a catalyst for sustainable change. “With the launch of the fifth cycle of the award, I invite universities, research centers, companies, organizations, and innovators from around the world to participate, so we can collectively contribute to providing clean water for underserved communities,” he stated.
Mohammed Abdulkarim Al Shamsi, Acting Executive Director of the Emirates Water Foundation, highlighted that the award encourages research institutions, companies, universities, and young innovators from various regions to develop innovative solutions to address water scarcity, utilizing clean and renewable energy sources. These sources include solar, wind, hydropower, biomass, osmosis, and geothermal energy. Over the past four cycles, the award has received hundreds of entries from around the world and celebrated 43 innovators from 26 countries who have advanced sustainable and cost-effective technologies for providing clean water.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award features four main categories: the Innovative Projects Award, which includes small and large project categories; the Innovation in Research and Development Award, encompassing national and global institutions; the Individual Innovations Award, which includes categories for outstanding researchers and youth; and the Innovative Solutions for Crises Award.
Saeed Al Tayer remarked, “Emirates Water has helped provide clean water to 15 million people across 37 countries.” This commitment underscores the vital role that innovative approaches and international collaboration play in tackling the global water crisis, reinforcing the necessity for active participation in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award.