We are changing the world and not for the better.

  • Burning coal is responsible for 40 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels
  • 72 per cent of India’s electricity still comes from coal-fired plants
  • In 2017, India was the second-largest producer of coal
  • In the last decade, many states in India have already experienced an average temperature increase of 1°C compared to the historical average of the country
  • Globally, temperatures are rising at a rate of 0.2°C per decade
  • Records show that 17 of the world's 18 warmest years have occurred after 2001
  • To limit global warming to 1.5°C, human-induced carbon dioxide emissions must reduce by 45 per cent by 2030 

The picture is certainly not pretty. Whether we look at numbers at the domestic level or across the world, it is clear that we are heading down a challenging path. Climate change manifests itself in many ways, and the ripple effects of our actions have tangible and intangible consequences. 

As temperatures rise, we see an increase in extreme weather events. Hotter temperatures in some parts of the country and unpredictable rains and floods in others. Farmers are left reeling from both droughts and floods, affecting their livelihoods and the quality of food they produce. In terms of economic impact, the loss of productivity by 2030 due to heat stress would be the same as 34 million Indians losing their jobs

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"The right technological tools will make it possible for us to create appropriate solutions for both adopting green alternatives and monitoring their impact." Image for representation purposes only. Photograph: nettetal10, courtesy Pixabay 

Climate action is a priority, and the need of the hour are comprehensive solutions that will help in addressing the crisis from all angles. At Nature inFocus, we have been at the forefront of climate-related conversations, sharing stories about the immediate impact on our natural world and conservation efforts by individuals and organisations. Today, we are exploring another important facet of climate action – technology. 

The right technological tools will make it possible for us to create appropriate solutions for both adopting green alternatives and monitoring their impact. As we work to conserve our forests, we need technology to help us quantify the resulting effects. As we try to be judicial about our natural resources, we need technology to help us find sustainable alternatives. 

 In order to encourage technological innovation to aid climate action, we are working with IBM for the Call For Code 2020 Challenge. Call For Code is a global initiative that encourages developers to come up with appropriate tech solutions for some of the world’s most pressing problems. In the last two years, more than 210,000 developers across 165 countries have built over 8,000 applications, attaching a cause to their passion. 

While this year’s focus is climate change, developers can submit their ideas under three sub-categories: 

  • Water Sustainability
  • Energy Sustainability
  • Disaster Resiliency

The importance of these sub-categories cannot be emphasised enough. We are currently facing our biggest water crisis in history. Across India, 21 cities are expected to run out of groundwater by the end of the year. We are also facing the brunt of extreme weather, more than 1500 people lost their lives in 2019 to floods, heavy rainfall, heat and cold waves. Through effective disaster resiliency measures, we will be able to reduce these impacts and anticipate disasters better. Energy sustainability continues to remain a priority as we attempt to move away from fossil fuels to more sustainable alternatives. 

Are you ready to code for a better world? Visit the Call For Code website to get started. You will find Starter Kits and other resources here.

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Call For Code is a global initiative by IBM that encourages developers to come up with appropriate tech solutions for some of the world’s most pressing problems.

The Call For Code submission portal opened on March 20th, and the contest will remain open till July 31st, 2020. 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. 

Over the next few months, eminent writers and researchers will share stories on the Nature inFocus website, giving us better insights into the effects of climate change and how current mitigation measures are helping. We hope these stories will throw light on issues that need immediate attention and encourage ideas and solutions to address them. A simple app that delivers information on time or a complex algorithm to detect minute changes in temperatures – we need them all in this fight against climate change. 

Together, let’s work towards creating a safer, healthier and better world. Join the mission with IBM Call For Code and Nature inFocus.