The “Solve” program at MIT announces six global challenges in 2025, inviting anyone in the world to propose solutions to them. The 2025 challenges include one on climate adaptation. MIT Resilient Ecosystems Challenge seeks technology-based solutions that help communities restore, sustain, and benefit from resilient ecosystems. The winner receives a US$10 thousand grant. Additional prizes (from US$75 thousand to US$150 thousand) for solutions addressing specific challenges are available. The deadline for project draft submission is 17 April 2025. Link to the Challenge
awards/prizes
Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe — Danubius Young Scientists 2025
The Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, in partnership with the Austrian Federal Ministry for Science and Research, offers the Danubius Award to honor persons with extraordinary scientific achievement in relation to the Danube Region. The Danubius Young Scientist Award will be granted to 14 young scientists — one in each of Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Romania, and Ukraine. Priority is for work that is relevant beyond national borders, in any discipline. Each winner will receive €1,350. The deadline for nominations is 09 May 2025. Danubius Young Scientist Award
Global Biodiversity Information Facility — Graduate Researchers Award 2025
The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) invites proposals for the Graduate Researchers Award to foster innovative research and discovery in biodiversity informatics. GBIF will present awards of €5 thousand each to one master’s student and one doctoral student. Students must apply through and be nominated by a Head of Delegation of a GBIF participant country. The deadline for nominations is 27 June 2025, although some GBIF national delegations are likely to set earlier deadlines. GBIF Graduate Researchers Award
Legacy Project — Global Youth Awards 2025
The Global Youth Awards supports youth aged 11-25 who are leading inspirational projects for social and environmental impact around the world. This includes environmental projects and innovations to restore and regenerate the global ecosystem. The winners receive an invitation to become a Global Change Ambassador for collaborations, events, mentoring, and training. Youth from all around the world can be nominated. Nominations close 14 September 2025. Link
United Nations Development Program — Equator Prize 2025
The Equator Prize 2025 recognizes innovative initiatives that showcase how action on nature, led by Indigenous Peoples and local communities, can provide effective climate solutions, and demonstrate effective pathways to transform the global systems for people and Planet. Nominated projects may focus on solutions for sustainable food systems, restoration of ecosystems that help communities adapt to the impacts of climate change, or protection of terrestrial or marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and wildlife. The nominated initiative must have been in existence for at least three years. Each winner will receive US$10 thousand. Nominations must be submitted by 23 February 2025. Equator Prize
Imperial College London — Climate Investment Challenge
The Climate Investment Challenge calls on graduate students to develop financial solutions and innovations addressing climate change, such as untapped climate finance opportunities or innovative financial structures that improve the bankability of climate investments. The Main Prize challenges students to create innovative financial structures or instruments that enhance the bankability of climate investments or utilize existing tools to explore untapped climate finance opportunities. The Emerging and Developing Markets Prize calls on students to use innovative financial instruments or existing financial tools to address an underserved climate change issue. The Data Analytics Prize is looking for students to develop creative ways to combine existing climate and environmental datasets with financial information to improve the adoption of climate finance or address climate risk. Eligibility extends to students enrolled in a postgraduate degree (Master’s, MBA, or PhD-level) at the time of the submission. The challenge is open globally to students from all academic backgrounds. The deadline for the submission of concept notes is 02 March 2025. Climate Investment Challenge
WWF Nepal — Conservation Awards 2025
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) recognizes and honors individuals and organizations at the grassroots level who have made significant contributions to protect Nepal’s rich biodiversity. WWF Nepal welcomes nominations for Conservation Awards 2025 from Nepali individuals and/or organizations working in the field of conservation and natural resource management. Up to three awards will be made to individuals (Rs. 50 thousand) and organizations (Rs. 100 thousand). Nominations should be submitted by 31 March 2025. More about the Conservation Awards
European Union — COAL Prize 2025
The COAL Prize 2025 invites artists to submit projects dedicated to fresh water. The Prize is open to artists from all over the world. The winner receives €12 thousand to support artwork in progress and benefits from an (optional) residence run by the Museum of Hunting and Nature at the Belval Domaine. In parallel, a call for projects is open for the COAL Student Prize – Culture & Diversity for students of schools in the artistic and cultural field. The application deadline is 20 April 2025. COAL Prize
Global Biodiversity Information Facility — Ebbe Nielsen Challenge 2025
The GBIF Ebbe Nielsen Challenge is an annual competition that seeks to inspire innovative applications of open-access biodiversity data. In 2025, the Challenge will award a total of €20 thousand for advancements in open science that feature tools and techniques that improve the access, usefulness, and quality of open biodiversity data. The Challenge is open worldwide to individuals, teams of individuals, companies and their employees, and governmental agencies and their employees. The closing date for submissions is 07 September 2025. Ebbe Nielsen Challenge
Sigma Awards — Prize for Data Journalism
The Sigma Awards invite entries of published work in all areas of data journalism, including the topic environment. The winners will split a cash prize of US$5 thousand. Entries must be for work published in 2024, but can be submitted by large or small newsrooms as well as individuals from all over the world. The application deadline is 28 February 2025. Sigma Awards