Doha: Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future (Earthna), a member of Qatar Foundation, has announced the launch of the second cycle of the Earthna Prize. Established under the leadership of HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, the Earthna Prize recognizes solutions rooted in traditional knowledge to address pressing environmental challenges.
According to Qatar News Agency, a $1 million prize pool will be awarded to four winners at the third global Earthna Summit 2027. The winners will be recognized for tackling work in one or more of the five focus areas: water systems, food systems, terrestrial ecosystems, marine and coastal ecosystems, and built environments. The Earthna Prize first launched on 22 April 2024, Earth Day, attracted more than 400 applications from over 100 countries, reinforcing the vision that traditional knowledge and cultural heritage are not only worth preserving but also serve as active resources for addressing contemporary sustainability problems.
Dr. Gonzalo Castro de la Mata, Executive Director of Earthna, highlighted the impact of the prize by stating, "The response to the Earthna Prize highlights the scale of work already underway, much of it rooted in long-standing practices. The prize brings these efforts into focus, creating a platform for them to be recognized, understood, and built upon and scaled. Each cycle also strengthens the evidence base for how traditional knowledge can address environmental challenges."
The inaugural Earthna Prize winners and finalists, announced in 2025, showcased a range of approaches, including water conservation, ancestral ecological models, traditional architecture and urbanism, and community-led fisheries management. Submissions for the Earthna Prize are open until 20 July 2026, inviting non-governmental organizations, community groups, and businesses to apply. Applications are reviewed by a global panel of experts, with winners selected by a high-level jury to be announced at the Earthna Summit in 2027.
Meanwhile, the Earthna Prize continues to support its inaugural winners beyond recognition, helping them expand and scale their work. Through increased visibility, funding, and access to networks, the prize has enabled these initiatives to strengthen and apply traditional knowledge in addressing environmental challenges.