Take up the £1m climate change challenge

By Lisa Smyth – 16 October 2007

One million pounds goes up for grabs today for groups of people coming up with new ways to tackle climate change.

The Big Green Challenge is a competition launched by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA), encouraging people across the UK to work together over a two-year period to demonstrate new ways to reduce their CO2 emissions.

These ideas could either be brand new or a fresh way of applying existing solutions and the group with the most imaginative - and proven - approach at the end of the competition will win the lion's share of the £1m fund.

The challenge is open to groups, such as a local branch of the Scouts or a PTA or those led by a not-for-profit organisation, such as a charity.

The initiative has received backing from environmentalists, business and those from the world of television. Helping to launch the challenge, Channel 4 presenter Sarah Beeny said: "This is a really worthwhile reason to get together with your neighbours, a local club or find like-minded people to join with."

Commenting on the Challenge, NESTA chief executive Jonathan Kestenbaum said: "If we're really to have an impact on major social issues like this we need to work together and come up with imaginative solutions that work in the real world.

"We know there's an appetite out there in the UK for this kind of approach and we're confident the Big Green Challenge will help stimulate people into action."

NESTA will be holding a number of special national and regional events throughout November/December to meet with groups and representatives interested in learning more about the Big Green Challenge, and one is planned for Belfast.

Anyone wanting further information or wishing to attend should email: northernireland @biggreenchallenge.org.uk.