As way of spurring a next wave of innovation tackling real world problems, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has debuted the 'Green ICT Application Challenge' to develop a green mobile app to mitigate climate change.
This competition aims to raise awareness on climate changes and inspire action to reduce carbon footprint by using data in new applications for the Web and mobile devices, the UN telecoms agency says.
The ITU says while there are many apps on the market that target 'carbon footprinting', this challenge aims to move to the next stage, with apps that focus on the mitigation of climate change through energy efficiency in sectors such as smart buildings, intelligent transportation systems and smart homes.
It explains that this will also drive community engagement in environmental issues and eco-design. “We hope the applications will help in monitoring of climate change and measurement of greenhouse gas emissions.”
The use of applications for emergency telecommunications and alerting systems for disaster relief will also benefit from this challenge. “This will help with the adaptation to climate change.”
The winning concept will be awarded $10 000 from the sponsors, Research In Motion and Telef'onica.
The winner will also be invited to present their concept to ITU's Green Standards Week in Italy in September. In addition, the winning app may be developed and showcased during the 17th UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 17) to be held in Durban in December.
“The COP 17 will mark a critical moment in the ongoing international climate change negotiations,” the UN pledges.
According to the ITU, contestants should submit a detailed concept paper with an explanation of how their idea helps combat climate change and provides an ICT solution to environmental or sustainability issues.
“Entries may be any kind of software tool or game, be it for the Web, a personal computer or a mobile device. The closing date for entries is 17 June.”
ITU secretary-general, Hamadoun Tour'e, says the organisation has seen how ubiquitous apps have become and how useful they can be.
“The Green ICT Application Challenge is our way of spurring a next wave of innovation tackling real world problems. We are excited to see what developers will create to influence this truly global problem.”
The ITU Telecommunication Standardisation Bureau has also hailed this initiative, saying it will be a valuable contribution to the green ICT industry.
Its director, Malcolm Johnson, says the objective of this competition is to push contestants to think outside the box and develop concept papers for an ICT application that will be a truly valuable contribution to the green ICT industry.
“In particular, we want contestants to think about the issues faced by developing countries for adaptation and/or mitigation,” he adds.
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