May
11
2010
BC’s Apps for Climate Action contest: Open data aimed at climate change
Author: Robin BrowneThe BC’s government’s Apps for Climate Action contest highlights why open data initiatives are the best kind of government program: empowering people to take action.
In March, the Government of British Columbia launched the Apps for Climate Action contest challenging developers to use government data to create applications (or apps) that “raise awareness of climate change and inspire action to reduce carbon pollution”. It’s the “Inspire action” part I love because governments spend way too much time and money trying to “raise people’s awareness” of what they’re doing and/or trying to get people to take some action the government wants them to take. Through open data initiatives governments give people the information they need to take action they choose.
The BC contest is the first government open data initiative I’ve heard of focused on a particular topic instead of focusing on simply releasing as much data as possible. I like this because it will lead to the creation of lots of apps focused on the very important climate change issue and still make more data freely available to be used however people want to. You don’t have to be in the contest to use the data and you don’t have to make a climate change app – unless you want a shot at the prizes.
The BC contest is modeled on Washington, DC’s Apps for Democracy contest that “yielded 47 web, iPhone and Facebook apps in 30 days – a $2,300,000 value to the city at a cost of $50,000” according to the website. See all the apps created here.
I’ll be watching to see what creative climate action apps folks dream up.
