Awards Categories

As climate change intensifies global challenges, grassroots communities worldwide are emerging as vital drivers of local climate solutions. By blending indigenous knowledge, innovation, and local resources, these initiatives reduce emissions, enhance resilience, and foster sustainable futures.

The Community-Led Climate Action Award recognises outstanding projects led and sustained by communities, grassroots organisations, youth groups, farmers’ groups, women’s self-help groups, or local government bodies. A key criterion is strong local ownership and active implementation by community members.

This award recognises initiatives that demonstrate measurable environmental and social impacts, including emission reductions, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, improved livelihoods, and enhanced social cohesion. Projects should combine traditional wisdom with innovative, scalable, or replicable approaches that leverage modern tools, nature-based solutions, and local resources to inspire wider adoption.

Entries must show active participation and leadership from marginalised, vulnerable, and indigenous groups, ensuring equitable benefits and empowerment. Collaborative efforts involving partnerships with local governments, NGOs, research institutions, or private sector entities are highly encouraged. Initiatives focused on community education, capacity building, and advocacy are also strongly recommended.

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Strategic integration of climate goals within their community initiatives
• Innovative, inclusive approaches grounded in local knowledge and resources
• Evidence of measurable or potential impact in mitigation or adaptation
• Engagement of diverse and vulnerable community groups in design and implementation
• Collaboration with outside organisations that strengthen outcomes and sustainability

The award includes five sub-categories reflecting the diversity of community-based climate action:

• Biodiversity Conservation for Climate Action: Protecting and restoring local ecosystems for climate change adaptation and mitigation.
• Green and Efficient Energy Adoption: Deploying renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions locally.
• Sustainable Waste Management: Reducing, recycling, and managing waste sustainably.
• Sustainable Agriculture Practices: Using climate-smart farming and natural resource conservation.
• Natural Resource Management: Equitable stewardship of forests, water, and land resources.

This award honours communities as essential innovators and custodians of climate resilience, championing culturally relevant, localised climate solutions with global significance.

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Innovative, sustainable solutions from emerging enterprises are crucial in addressing the accelerating climate crisis. These businesses develop groundbreaking technologies, products, and services that significantly reduce emissions and drive the transition to a low-carbon economy across various sectors.

With the IPCC warning that global greenhouse gas emissions must peak by 2025 to limit warming to 1.5°C, urgent and scalable climate action is crucial. Emerging businesses are driving this transformation by replacing conventional models with innovative, high-impact solutions that foster rapid growth and systemic change.

This category recognises forward-thinking enterprises that demonstrate strong innovation, measurable environmental outcomes, and clear potential for scalability. These businesses not only embed sustainability into their operations but also enable broader industry and consumer shifts toward climate resilience.

Solutions may span a wide range of critical areas, including renewable energy, green mobility, energy efficiency, sustainable agriculture, circular economy, climate-smart infrastructure, waste management, climate risk & adaptation, carbon removal, and climate tech software.

Applicants for the Emerging Businesses in Climate Action award should clearly demonstrate the following:

• Strategic Integration of Climate Goals:How climate action is embedded within the core business strategy, operations, and decision-making processes.
• Innovation and Uniqueness: Evidence of pioneering or game-changing approaches in technology, product, service, or business model that advance climate mitigation, adaptation, or sustainability.
• Measurable Environmental Impact:Quantitative or qualitative data evidencing real or anticipated reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, resource efficiencies, or other significant climate-positive outcomes.
• Scalability and Market Potential: Clear indication of the enterprise’s potential for growth, replication, and broader adoption to accelerate climate impact across sectors or geographies.
• Leadership and Collaboration: Demonstration of leadership within the sector and engagement with partners, stakeholders, or communities to enhance climate innovation and systemic change.
• Business Viability and Sustainability: Evidence that sustainability initiatives contribute to the enterprise’s long-term financial and operational viability.

Applicants are encouraged to provide clear, data-backed examples and narratives that reflect these criteria. The goal is to recognise emerging businesses that not only innovate but also deliver tangible, scalable climate solutions while strengthening their market and societal contributions

To reflect business maturity, the category includes two subcategories:

• Start-up: Early-stage ventures with pilots, prototypes, or initial market validation, showing strong innovation and high impact potential.
• Scale-up: Growth-stage enterprises with proven business models, measurable climate outcomes, and significant expansion capacity.

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In an era marked by escalating climate challenges, how we communicate the urgency, realities, and solutions of climate change is just as important as the science itself. Effective climate communication bridges the gap between knowledge and public engagement by resonating deeply with culture, traditional identities, people’s values, and lived experiences. Through storytelling, visual art, music, digital media, and other means, creative communication transforms complex climate science into compelling narratives that inspire understanding, shift perceptions, and catalyse meaningful action.

The Communicators for Climate Action category celebrates outstanding initiatives that harness the power of creative media to illuminate the causes, consequences, and solutions of climate change in ways that are accessible, emotionally engaging, and transformative. This award recognises individuals, collectives, organisations, and creative teams whose work raises awareness, amplifies marginalised voices, mobilises communities, and fosters climate-positive change.

Applicants should include standalone works, innovative campaigns, or ongoing series across diverse media forms, such as but not limited to:

• Visual storytelling (film, photo, visual art):  Harnessing motion pictures, compelling images, and creative visuals to engage audiences emotionally and narrate climate realities.
• Audio & music (radio, podcasts, songs): Using soundscapes, storytelling podcasts, and original music compositions to evoke awareness and inspire climate action.
• Performance & theatre: Live or recorded drama, spoken word, or movement-based performances forge emotional connections with the audience.
• Digital & interactive media (social media, AR/VR, online campaigns): Employing immersive technologies, interactive platforms, and digital campaigns to deepen understanding and mobilise communities.
• Written journalism & storytelling: Articles, investigative reporting, essays, blogs—critical for unpacking complex issues, amplifying voices, or sharing local climate narratives.

Entries must demonstrate clear impact or strong potential to influence public perception, shift dominant narratives, and inspire climate-conscious mindsets and behaviours. The award honours those at the forefront of translating climate science into stories and experiences that move people to care—and act.

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Across the globe, women are driving powerful climate action – from the frontlines of community resilience to the halls of policy-making. Whether as students, mothers, indigenous knowledge holders, scientists, or public figures, women have played a pivotal role in amplifying the urgency of the climate crisis and catalysing bold action for this and future generations.

Women are disproportionately affected by climate change. UNFPA (2024) reports that nearly 40% of disaster-displaced people in 2023 were women and girls. Despite these challenges, women worldwide continually demonstrate exemplary leadership in climate action. Research confirms that women’s participation in decision-making fosters more inclusive, effective, and sustainable climate policies and programs. From grassroots innovators to influential policymakers, women are leading the way in pioneering climate adaptation, conservation, sustainable livelihoods, and gender-responsive resilience strategies.

This nomination-based award honours visionary women leaders whose innovative and impactful initiatives address climate challenges through holistic, sustainable approaches. Their work inspires communities and organisations to embrace inclusive climate action that strengthens both people and the planet.

Nominations are open to women leaders from diverse backgrounds and sectors who have demonstrated leadership in any combination of climate mitigation, adaptation, environmental stewardship, and social equity. Efforts that integrate multiple dimensions of sustainability are highly valued.

Eligible initiatives may include but are not limited to:

• Innovative, climate-resilient agricultural practices and sustainable natural resource management.
• Biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and water stewardship.
• Creation of sustainable livelihood opportunities, including circular economy and waste upcycling.
• Advocacy, policy leadership, or grassroots mobilisation advancing climate justice and gender equality
• Inclusive community engagement that empowers marginalised, indigenous, or vulnerable groups
• Interdisciplinary approaches linking climate with public health, urban resilience, or sustainable energy access
• Leadership and innovation within corporates, established institutions, or organisations operating beyond the grassroots level, driving systemic shifts toward sustainability

Nominees should demonstrate:

• Use of evidence and research to design, refine, and expand climate action initiatives.
• Significant measurable impact on environmental sustainability and community resilience
• Promotion of social inclusion, gender equity, and empowerment of marginalised populations
• Leadership fostering collaboration and systemic change beyond their immediate initiatives
• Long-term commitment to integrated and scalable climate solutions

By recognising these pioneering women, the award amplifies the indispensable role of female leadership in crafting climate solutions that are equitable, innovative, and transformative, ensuring a just and sustainable future for all.

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Under this program, college connect activities will be conducted across colleges in 10 Indian states to engage with climate-enthusiast students. These activities will build awareness among the youth and encourage them to compete for the Earth Care Award and be recognized as Youth Champions for Climate Action.

The programme will feature experts delivering specially designed presentations (both online and hybrid) to college students in multiple states in India. These presentations will be attention-catching, with content backed by scientific data, and will cover topics such as the benefits of adopting LIFE skills, the importance of managing waste and embracing circularity, the urgency for climate action, the need to protect biodiversity, the importance of sustainable urban development, and methods to manage and conserve water resources. The presentations will directly reach around 20,000 youth, and through them, more than 200,000 friends and peers across the country.

Next, applicants will be invited to submit innovative and practical solutions that effectively address their chosen category. The jury will then select the Youth Champions from these submissions.

This award includes six sub categories:

• Air Quality Improvement and Pollution Control: Reducing emissions and enhancing urban and rural air quality.
• Environmental Education and Public Engagement: Building awareness, skills, and action for a greener future.
• Biodiversity and Ecosystem Restoration: Protecting habitats, restoring degraded ecosystems, and safeguarding species.
• Sustainable Waste Management and Circular Economy: Minimizing waste through reduction, reuse, recycling, and innovation.
• Clean and Renewable Energy Solution: Advancing energy efficiency, conservation, and sustainable energy adoption, and providing alternatives to carbon-emitting fuels.
• Water Stewardship and Resource Management: Conserving water, improving quality, and ensuring equitable access.

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