We are looking for cities to partner with us to run a challenge, host a real-world testbed, and invite problem-solvers to compete to develop and scale potential solutions to their greenhouse gas challenges and create other social benefits.
The Climate Smart Cities Challenge is an opportunity for cities to participate as implementation partners in a city-based open innovation competition that will invite a global pool of technologists, businesses and investors to develop, test and scale cutting-edge solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create a better future for all.
These could include a wide range of interventions across multiple sectors or a combination, such as urban form and physical design, transport, waste management, food production, energy systems, housing, ecosystems, use of public space and others. Challenges that are carbon-negative are suitable as well (e.g. green space development).
We are interested in hearing about challenges that, if solved, would not only reduce or offset emissions but would also promote other sustainability and livability goals for your city.
For cities in the Global North, the opportunity is to create liveable and productive urban economies that deliver ambitious reductions in high per capita emissions footprints. For cities in the Global South, the opportunity is to deliver social and economic development for citizens in a way that is clean, green and avoids significant increases in emissions going forward. We want to partner with you wherever you are!
The Climate Smart Cities Challenge, including the three city-based challenges, will be launched at the World Expo in Dubai in October 2021. These three cities will be selected from the pool of open call applicants.
About the open call
The first stage of the Climate Smart Cities Challenge is a global open call to cities. We want you to tell us about your city’s aspirations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions whilst creating thriving communities.
We are looking for cities to partner with us to run city-based open innovation competitions. These competitions will help the selected cities reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create other social benefits, by matching their needs with partners from across the world to develop and scale solutions suitable to their context.
We want you to:
- Tell us about your city’s aspirations to reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and create a good future for all
- Present a problem that is specific and solvable in the near-term, meaning potential solutions could be introduced, adapted and scaled within the next five years
- Indicate a willingness to work with a global community of problem-solvers and investors and to commit resources to test and implement solutions to your problem in your city
This information will help us to design the Climate Smart Cities Challenge and select the partner cities who will help us run city-based challenges, planned to launch in 2021.
