Zero Prize launched as India’s first ₹5 crore results-based environmental award

Key facts

• Zero Prize is India’s first national results-based environmental award linking financial reward to independently verified reductions in air, water, and land pollution.
• Convened by the School of Policy and Governance (SPG), the initiative is supported through philanthropic contributions, corporate CSR partnerships, and institutional stakeholders.
• Total corpus of ₹5 crore will award ₹1 crore each across three categories — Air, Water, and Land — to solutions demonstrating scientifically validated pollution reduction within defined geographies.
• Announcement event held at India Habitat Centre with award-winning actor and environmental advocate Dia Mirza as Chief Guest.
• Prize open to startups, NGOs, corporates, municipal bodies, research institutions, and individual innovators across India.
• Eligible applicants must implement a real-world pilot within defined urban or peri-urban contexts and undergo independent third-party monitoring and validation.
• Each shortlisted solution will establish a documented baseline and demonstrate quantifiable reduction over a 12-month challenge period.
• Applications open in March 2026 and close in August 2026, with winners announced in February 2027 after technical evaluation, pilot implementation, and independent validation.
• Prize follows milestone-based disbursement aligned with successful pilot execution and verification.