The 3rd cycle of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award has opened for registration, offering a total of US$1 million for solutions to the challenges of water scarcity.
According to UN data, nearly half the global population lives in areas which experience water scarcity at least one month per year, and this could affect some 4.8–5.7 billion in 2050, of which approximately 73% live in Asia.
The award is open to entries from individuals, research centres, institutions, and companies from across the world. There are four award categories, namely Projects; Individuals; Research & Development, and the newly-created Innovative Crisis Solutions Award.
The latest award carries a prize of US$20,000 and is targeted at small enterprises, research institutions and NGOs for innovations that can be deployed in emergencies. Solutions will be evaluated on ease of deployment (30% of the score), creativity and innovation (30%), adaptability to the local environment (30%), and cost-effectiveness (10%).
The awards target pioneering organisations, research centres, individuals, educational institutions, and innovators. In the previous cycle of the award, which took place in January 2020, 10 applicants from eight different countries were recognised for innovations across three award categories. In the current cycle, the awards will include new technologies which produce, distribute, store, monitor, desalinate and purify water using renewable energy.
“The UAE-based award provides a demonstration of the mission of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to provide clean water for people in need. Through this award, we will play our part in finding solutions to water scarcity especially for the afflicted and underprivileged around the world; regardless of religion, ethnicity or nationality,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia UAE).
In the 2nd cycle, Singapore company Liquinex Group won first place in the Innovative Research and Development award for a compact water purification system. The size of a suitcase, the system can provide high-quality World Health Organization-standard drinking water at a rate of 500 l/hr. Some 1,700 people can benefit at the rate of 3l/day/person/per suitcase, operating on just 12V of power.
Established in 2015, Suqia UAE is an entity under the umbrella of the
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives foundation, a
non-profit organisation that provides humanitarian aid around the world
and helps communities that suffer from water scarcity by providing them
with potable water. The award supports Suqia UAE’s efforts, which, over
the past five years, have helped over 13 million individuals in 36
countries through 1,000 sustainable water projects.
Details:
Applications for the 3rd cycle of the award are open until 30 April 2021.