The RELX Environmental Challenge celebrates 15 years of supporting clean water and sanitation innovation, marking this significant milestone with an increase in the prize fund and the introduction of a new ocean category.
Since launching in 2011, the RELX Environmental Challenge has awarded over US$1.2 million in prize funding to 30+ projects across 25+ countries, advancing solutions that improve access to safe water and sanitation.
Innovation has ranged from low-cost water purification and sanitation technologies to circular waste-to-resource systems; nature-based solutions; and data-enabled systems; helping innovators move from idea to impact and scale solutions which improve health, dignity, and climate resilience. A new feature story highlights several of these innovators and showcases the measurable impact of their solutions Read the feature.
“For 15 years, the RELX Environmental Challenge has championed innovation that delivers practical, scalable solutions for clean water and sanitation,” said Mirième Hill, RELX Environmental Challenge Programme Lead. “As global water challenges intensify, it is critical that we continue to evolve the programme to support innovators in the space.”
As part of the 2026 programme, RELX will introduce a new ocean category, recognising the critical role that healthy oceans play in clean water systems, sanitation, human health and reducing climate change.
Covering more than 70% of the planet, oceans are fundamental to the global water cycle — regulating climate, influencing rainfall, availability of freshwater and supporting food security and human health. Yet oceans are increasingly under threat. Marine pollution, untreated wastewater, plastic waste and ecosystem degradation are placing growing pressure on coastal communities. Moreover, Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water) remains one of the least funded of all the SDGs according to United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security. In 2026, the Challenge will award two prizes of US$75,000 each, a clean water/sanitation prize and the new ocean prize.
Applications for the RELX Environmental Challenge 2026 will open in March 2026 with further details on categories and eligibility available here.
For more information on the Challenge contact environmental.challenge@relx.com
