Climathon calls on cities to take part in historic 24 hours of climate action

Cities around the world can join the Climathon movement and take part in a 24-hour global hackathon to find solutions to city climate challenges.

Organised by Climate-KIC, Climathon brings together the challenges of the world’s cities with the people who have the passion and ability to solve them.

The 2017 edition of the global 24-hour climate change hackathon takes place simultaneously in major cities around the world on 27 October and is set to be the biggest event of its kind in history.

Representatives of startup incubators, city hall, local businesses, universities or other organisations can register to be the host for their city via the Climathon website and receive a detailed guide on how to organise the hackathon.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Climathon-2017-CTA”]

A new generation of entrepreneurs

Since 2015, students, entrepreneurs, big thinkers, technical experts and app developers around the world have been taking action as part of the global Climathon movement by coming up with innovative solutions to city climate challenges in 24-hour marathon sessions.

Tibor Navracsics, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, responsible for the EIT, said: “Young people have a vital role in tackling global challenges such as climate change. We need to ensure they can participate fully in making the change Europe needs. With this in mind, the EIT’s Climate-KIC Climathon can make a big contribution to training a new generation of entrepreneurs and innovators.”

The most pressing issues of our time

To take part in the 24-hour Climathon, each city sets its own climate challenge which reflects what is affecting their urban life the most. Challenges vary from air quality, mobility, water and waste management, and extreme weather events. 

Innovators tackle the climate challenge for a full 24-hours, before pitching their ideas in front of a local jury. These ideas can develop into tangible sustainable solutions and businesses that address city climate challenges across the globe.

“The science of climate change is indisputable, but the problem often seems so removed from everyday reality that organisations have for many years struggled to engage citizens,” said Ebrahim Mohamed, Director of Education at Climate-KIC.

“The Climathon changes this, providing the critical impetus for city citizens, innovators, business experts and policy makers to come together in a global climate movement to solve one of the most pressing issues of our time,” Mohamed said.

Use of space data

Together with the European Union’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW), Climate-KIC is enabling Copernicus satellite data application by entrepreneurs, universities, cities and regions to innovate for the climate.

Through Climate-KIC’s collaboration with DG GROW, up to ten cities will be able to address their Climathon city challenges using Copernicus data applications. Climathon participants in these cities will be given access to Earth Observation (EO) and Geographic Information System (GIS) space data to develop innovative solutions to their city’s challenge.

A further 50 cities around the world will be given access to Copernicus data sets to be used for their specific challenges.

City-level action at speed and scale

City-level action to address climate change is needed at speed and scale. Cities already contribute over 70 per cent of global carbon emissions and are rapidly growing, with 70 per cent of the world’s population expected to live in cities by 2050.

Now its third year of operation, the Climathon movement has grown tremendously over the past two years, encouraging more innovators across the globe to drive climate action.

Climathon has grown from 19 to 59 cities in the space of a year, operating across 6 continents, creating over 2330 ideas and reaching 16.8 million people worldwide in 2016.

Become a Climathon City Host

Engage your citizens to take real climate action today!

Representatives of startup incubators, city hall, local businesses, universities or other organisations can register to be the host for their city via the Climathon website and receive a detailed guide on how to organise the hackathon.

How will you benefit from the Climathon?

  • Crowdsourcing local ideas to solve climate challenges of your city
  • Engagement of local students, entrepreneurs and innovators
  • Forge strong links between local businesses, academia and public bodies
  • Empower and showcase your local communities climate action across the globe
  • Engage with new global partners through Climate-KIC

Sign up your city

Get your city involved in the global Climathon movement. Sign up as a city host to take part in this year’s 24-hour hackathon on 27 October 2017. City host registration’s close 15 August. Participants will be able to sign up for their local event via the Climathon website starting 15 August.

Website: www.climathon.global

Twitter: @GlobalClimathon

Facebook: @Climathon

For more information, see the press release.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Climathon-2017-CTA”]

 
Location
Articles you may be interested in
In The News
For cities to become climate-resilient, they need to invest in capability buil...

As cities grapple with transforming and adapting to meet...

For cities to become climate-resilient, they need to invest in capability building
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC signs declaration ‘EU Green Deal: from local to global’

All around the globe, cities and regions are driving...

EIT Climate-KIC signs declaration ‘EU Green Deal: from local to global’
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC organises first Festival of Circular Economy and Bioeconomy in...

Running from November 28 to December 2, the activities...

EIT Climate-KIC organises first Festival of Circular Economy and Bioeconomy in Santander
In The News
What does climate action look like for the Culture and Creative Sector Industr...

The Culture and Creative Sector Industries (CCSI) can play...

What does climate action look like for the Culture and Creative Sector Industries?
In The News
Collaboration and knowledge sharing is key to unlocking capital for climate ne...

In order to reach net zero by 2030, or...

Collaboration and knowledge sharing is key to unlocking capital for climate neutrality
In The News
Gipuzkoa shapes the green future with local actors

Gipuzkoa is taking action towards sustainability through collaboration with...

Gipuzkoa shapes the green future with local actors
In The News
How can we enable African climate innovation to thrive?  

Much of the discussion around COP27 this year has...

How can we enable African climate innovation to thrive?  
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC and partners publish recommendations to include systemic lands...

The European Green Deal represents a unique opportunity for...

EIT Climate-KIC and partners publish recommendations to include systemic landscape thinking into EU policies to achieve the Green Deal
In The News
The challenges of building a resilient farmers’ community in Africa

Audrey S-Darko is a researcher and a farmer from...

The challenges of building a resilient farmers’ community in Africa
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC joins business and civil society to call on governments to uph...

As the official COP27 outcomes are being drafted this...

EIT Climate-KIC joins business and civil society to call on governments to uphold commitments to 1.5
In The News
Climate innovation: “The purpose is people, everything else is just the mean...

Massamba Thioye is leading the UN climate change Global...

Climate innovation: “The purpose is people, everything else is just the means”
In The News
Become a European Climate Leader

The Climate-KIC International Foundation is looking for a Supervisory...

Become a European Climate Leader
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC launches open-access database to map start-up ecosystem, now w...

Climate start-ups supported by EIT Climate-KIC are now worth...

EIT Climate-KIC launches open-access database to map start-up ecosystem, now worth €11.8 billion in combined enterprise value
In The News
Slovenia higher education reform aims to create a supportive environment for s...

Slovenia’s ministry of higher education is gearing up for...

Slovenia higher education reform aims to create a supportive environment for students and teachers
In The News
Co-designing the future of coal regions

EIT Climate-KIC launches the Post Coal Future Lab initiative...

Co-designing the future of coal regions
In The News
Bringing in business is key to achieving systems transformation on the climate...

“What does it mean to enable businesses to deal...

Bringing in business is key to achieving systems transformation on the climate crisis
In The News
What will it take to build the New European Bauhaus?

“Beautiful, Sustainable, Together”. These are the values – and...

What will it take to build the New European Bauhaus?
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC selects five partners in Global South to implement gender main...

The intersection of climate and innovation remains a male-dominated...

EIT Climate-KIC selects five partners in Global South to implement gender mainstreaming into entrepreneurship
In The News
Citizens inspire a car-free Leuven

A broad survey, possible solutions displayed on screens, inspirational...

Citizens inspire a car-free Leuven
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC accelerates climate tech solutions for a net-zero Africa 

Climate-focused start-up teams in developing countries face distinct challenges...

EIT Climate-KIC accelerates climate tech solutions for a net-zero Africa 
In The News
New European Bauhaus Hackathons will reward most innovative solutions

EIT Community New European Bauhaus partners will be hosting...

New European Bauhaus Hackathons will reward most innovative solutions
In The News
Slovenia takes a pivotal turn towards circularity

Slovenia has decided to actively combat climate change by...

Slovenia takes a pivotal turn towards circularity
In The News
Innovative climate projects part of EIT Community New European Bauhaus initiat...

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has...

Innovative climate projects part of EIT Community New European Bauhaus initiative
In The News
A new air and climate plan for Milan

The City Council of Milan approved the Air and...

A new air and climate plan for Milan
In The News
Meet the three EIT Climate-KIC innovators nominated for EIT Awards

Three innovators from EIT Climate-KIC’s community have been nominated...

Meet the three EIT Climate-KIC innovators nominated for EIT Awards
In The News
100 European cities take up the challenge to become carbon neutral by 2030

On Monday 13 June, the representatives of the 100...

100 European cities take up the challenge to become carbon neutral by 2030
In The News
The role of cities and regions in transforming wood value chains

Climate smart forest economies It’s a crucial decade for...

The role of cities and regions in transforming wood value chains
In The News
Glasgow City Region pioneering forest economy innovation to drive climate acti...

Scotland’s largest city region is actively tackling climate change...

Glasgow City Region pioneering forest economy innovation to drive climate action
In The News
Forging sustainable timber construction in Europe

EIT Climate-KIC and Built by Nature, announce an initiative...

Forging sustainable timber construction in Europe
In The News
EIT Climate-KIC launches new Circularity Thinking training programme

EIT Climate-KIC is launching Circularity Thinking courses to tackle...

EIT Climate-KIC launches new Circularity Thinking training programme