Apply Now: $1.4 Million in Climate Change AI Innovation Grants ...

Addressing the Climate Crisis Through Transformative AI Projects

In an era of intensifying climate change, innovative solutions are urgently needed to mitigate its impacts and build resilience within our communities. The good news is that artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) hold immense potential to accelerate climate action across diverse sectors – from renewable energy and sustainable agriculture to disaster response and climate modeling.

However, realizing this potential often requires overcoming critical barriers, such as lack of data, insufficient knowledge transfer between disciplines, and challenges in responsibly deploying AI for climate impact. That’s where the Climate Change AI (CCAI) Innovation Grants program steps in, providing vital funding and support to empower interdisciplinary teams tackling these obstacles head-on.

Catalyzing High-Impact AI for Climate Solutions

Since 2019, CCAI has been at the forefront of catalyzing impactful work at the intersection of AI and climate change. Through its global grants programs, educational initiatives, and community-building efforts, CCAI has inspired, informed, and connected thousands of innovators, practitioners, and decision-makers across academia, industry, and the public sector.

Now, CCAI is excited to announce the latest round of its Innovation Grants program, offering up to $1.4 million in funding for projects that leverage AI and machine learning to address critical climate challenges. This year’s grants will support a diverse array of high-impact initiatives, from using AI to optimize water management and combat illegal logging, to developing machine learning tools for rapid assessment of ecosystem threats and enhancing energy efficiency in buildings.

“The Climate Change AI Innovation Grants program is designed to address key bottlenecks, supporting projects that leverage AI and machine learning to drive climate change mitigation, adaptation, and science,” explains Millie Chapman, CCAI’s Co-Founder and Executive Director. “By providing funding, mentorship, and a platform to share learnings, we aim to catalyze innovations that can have a tangible, positive impact on the world.”

Eligibility and Proposal Guidelines

The grants are open to Principal Investigators (PIs) affiliated with accredited universities in OECD member countries. Co-Investigators can be located outside of OECD countries and affiliated with non-research institutions, fostering international and cross-sectoral collaboration.

This year, the program features three distinct tracks:

Main Track: Proposals that leverage AI or machine learning to address climate change mitigation, adaptation, or science, including impact assessment and governance.
Special Track on Methane: Projects that use AI or machine learning to tackle methane-related climate change mitigation in the short to medium term.
Special Track on Dataset Gaps: Initiatives focused on creating high-quality, documented datasets or simulators to enable further research at the intersection of climate change and AI/ML.

Regardless of the track, all successful proposals must result in publicly available datasets, software, or other deliverables that can catalyze further work in this critical space.

“By making project outputs openly accessible, we aim to create a multiplier effect, inspiring and enabling more researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers to leverage the power of AI for climate solutions,” says David Rolnick, CCAI’s Co-Founder and Chair.

Unlocking Transformative Potential

The 2023 cohort of CCAI Innovation Grants recipients exemplifies the transformative potential of AI for climate action. From using machine learning to optimize water management and combat illegal logging, to developing high-resolution climate models for healthcare infrastructure resilience, these projects are poised to make a tangible difference in communities around the world.

Take the “Flood Justice and Adaptation in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas with AI and Satellite Imagery” project, led by the University of Arizona. This initiative will leverage machine learning and satellite imagery to create detailed flood maps and a comprehensive database for the Rio Grande Valley – a region disproportionately impacted by climate-driven flooding. The data will support flood justice lawsuits and promote equitable adaptation efforts, empowering marginalized communities.

Or consider the “Mapping Rice Water Management and Methane Emissions in Ghana” project, headed by researchers at MIT. By combining satellite imagery, field surveys, and machine learning, this project aims to better understand and quantify methane emissions from rice cultivation – a crucial step in improving global climate analyses and informing decision-making around sustainable agriculture.

These are just a few examples of the trailblazing work being supported by the CCAI Innovation Grants. Across the cohort, you’ll find teams tackling a diverse array of climate challenges, united by their commitment to leveraging AI and machine learning for tangible, equitable impact.

Apply Now and Join the Climate AI Revolution

The application window for the 2024 round of CCAI Innovation Grants is now open. If you’re a researcher, practitioner, or innovator with a transformative idea for using AI to address the climate crisis, we encourage you to apply.

“This is an unparalleled opportunity to unlock the power of AI for climate action,” says Baosen Zhang, CCAI’s Co-Founder and Chair. “Whether you’re working on renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, disaster response, or any other climate-relevant domain, we’re eager to support your vision and help bring it to life.”

The deadline for submissions is September 15th, 2024. To learn more about the program, eligibility criteria, and the application process, visit the CCAI Innovation Grants website.

Together, let’s harness the remarkable potential of AI to build a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable future. Apply now and join the climate AI revolution.

Key Highlights of the CCAI Innovation Grants Program

$1.4 Million in Funding: CCAI is offering grants of up to $150,000 per project for a one-year duration.
Diverse Thematic Tracks: Projects can be submitted to the Main Track, Special Track on Methane, or Special Track on Dataset Gaps.
Eligibility: Principal Investigators must be affiliated with accredited universities in OECD member countries, while co-investigators can be located globally.
Collaborative Approach: The program encourages international and cross-sectoral collaborations to tackle climate challenges.
Open Science Commitment: All grant outputs, including datasets and software, must be made publicly available to catalyze further research and innovation.
Experienced Review Process: Proposals are peer-reviewed by an international committee of experts in AI and climate-relevant domains.
Transformative Impact: Past grantees have developed groundbreaking solutions in areas like flood mapping, sustainable agriculture, and energy efficiency.

Empowering Climate Action Through AI: Past Grantee Highlights

The CCAI Innovation Grants program has a track record of supporting transformative projects that are making a real difference in the fight against climate change. Here are a few examples of how past grantees are leveraging AI to drive tangible impact:

Curbing Illegal Logging in Kenya

The 2023 grantee “Curbing Illegal Logging Patterns Using Sound-based Detection Techniques,” led by the Université de Neuchâtel, is using IoT devices and machine learning to detect logging sounds in Kenyan community forests. By sending alerts for further investigation and conducting carbon stock measurements, the project aims to promote data-driven forest management for climate change mitigation and community benefits.

Enhancing Energy Efficiency in Neighborhoods

The 2023 grantee “The CityLearn Challenge 2023,” led by the University of Texas at Austin, is developing a representative model of energy use in neighborhoods and testing advanced control agents for demand response and carbon emissions reduction. The goal is to leverage AI to optimize energy consumption and shift operations to low-emissions electricity at the community level.

Mapping Rice Methane Emissions in Ghana

The 2023 grantee “Mapping Rice Water Management and Methane Emissions in Ghana,” led by researchers at MIT, is using satellite imagery, field surveys, and machine learning to better understand and quantify methane emissions from rice cultivation. This data will inform global climate analyses and decision-making around sustainable agriculture practices.

These are just a few examples of how the CCAI Innovation Grants are empowering researchers, practitioners, and innovators to harness the power of AI for transformative climate solutions. By providing funding, mentorship, and a platform to share learnings, the program is catalyzing a global movement of climate AI pioneers.

Join the Climate AI Revolution: How to Apply

The application process for the 2024 round of CCAI Innovation Grants is now open. If you have a transformative idea for using AI to address the climate crisis, we encourage you to apply.

Here’s a quick overview of the key steps:

Determine Your Eligibility: The Principal Investigator (PI) must be affiliated with an accredited university in an OECD member country and eligible to hold grants at their institution. Co-Investigators can be located outside OECD countries and affiliated with non-research organizations.
Select Your Track: Choose the track that best fits your project – the Main Track, Special Track on Methane, or Special Track on Dataset Gaps. Keep in mind that CCAI may move submissions between tracks at their discretion.
Prepare Your Proposal: Your application should include a detailed project description (up to 12 pages), an itemized budget and justification, and CVs of key personnel. Refer to the CCAI Innovation Grants website for the full submission guidelines.
Submit Your Application: All proposals must be submitted through the CMT platform by the deadline of September 15th, 2024.

If you have any questions or need assistance during the application process, don’t hesitate to reach out to the CCAI team at [email protected]. They’re here to support you every step of the way.

Don’t miss this opportunity to unlock the transformative potential of AI for climate action. Apply now and join the climate AI revolution!