Meet the Indian entrepreneurs and organisations shaping a greener and cleaner future
As published in Nature inFocus on Thursday, 07 May, 2020
The current pandemic has made us all realise how reliant we are on technology. As we all learn to manoeuvre and adapt our professional, personal and social lives within the confines of our homes, we find technology coming to our aid – when we need the right information, in sourcing essential supplies, coordinating community action, and staying connected with our extended families. But even outside these four walls, entrepreneurs and organisations are working on using the right technological tools to solve some of the world’s most pressing issues.
Increasingly, technology is being leveraged to address the climate crisis that we all experience in various ways. 2019 was the seventh-warmest year in India since 1901, and the country witnessed unprecedented floods across its various states. There is no debating that the time to act on the climate crisis is now.
To encourage technological innovation for some of the world’s most pressing issues, IBM has launched Call For Code, a challenge for developers across the globe. The Call For Code submission portal opened on March 20th, and the contest will remain open till July 31st, 2020. The Global Challenge is accepting ideas under two tracks – COVID-19 and Climate Change, with relevant subcategories for each. The Global Challenge winners will be announced in October 2020. Winners will be awarded $200,000, receive open source support from The Linux Foundation, and will get a chance to meet mentors and investors. Above all, the winners will see their solutions deployed through Code and Response, exemplifying how good tech can make a difference.
To extend our support for the initiative, we are featuring some organisations and entrepreneurs who are already working towards implementing climate change solutions. Whether it is making clean energy more affordable, providing appropriate solutions for waste management, raising awareness about issues like food waste or repurposing waste into useful materials, technology has been at the forefront of these actions and innovations. Just like them, if you are interested in exploring the intersection of climate change and technology and coming up with real-world solutions to mitigate or reverse the effects of the crisis, IBM’s Call For Code challenge is for you. Participate in this global challenge and share your vision for a better future. For more information, visit Call For Code.
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