Deadline:
July 31, 2025
Location(s)
Brazil Online
he winner will be invited to COP30 in Brazil to inspire a global audience.
Overview
Details
About
The AI for Climate Action Award celebrate the power of people and AI in the face of our planet’s greatest challenge. This global competition elevates open-source, AI-driven solutions that tackle climate change head-on—supporting bold ideas in adaptation and mitigation and empowering them to reach new heights on the world stage.
This year, the AI for Climate Action Award 2025 is hosted by the UNFCCC Technology Executive Committee, in partnership with the Climate Technology Centre and Network and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), in collaboration with Brazil and Enterprise Neurosystem.
The UNFCCC Technology Mechanism drives the rapid deployment of climate technologies to foster low-emission, climate-resilient development. It comprises the Technology Executive Committee, which focuses on climate technology policy, and the Climate Technology Centre and Network, which supports developing countries by providing technical assistance, facilitating knowledge sharing, and enhancing networking opportunities.
The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) is the official development assistance agency of the Republic of Korea, dedicated to supporting global efforts in poverty reduction, sustainable development, and addressing climate change. Through innovative projects in various sectors, including the use of AI, KOICA helps strengthen the capacities of developing countries to tackle climate challenges and achieve their development goals.
The Enterprise Neurosystem is an open-source AI research community founded on the principle that all species and ecosystems on this planet are interconnected. Humanity’s unprecedented impact on this system, particularly through climate change, necessitates a global-scale AI network to understand the multitude of contributing factors and generate innovative solutions to this crisis.
In 2025, Brazil will have the honor of hosting the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30), which will take place in Belém, Pará. The chosen city will provide the world with a unique platform to discuss climate solutions, firmly rooted in the heart of the Amazon. As the host country, Brazil is committed to strengthening multilateralism and fostering consensus on global targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to the warming of the planet.
The AI for Climate Action Award aims to identify and promote impactful solutions that use the power of AI for effective adaptation and mitigation action in LDCs and SIDS.
”The AI for Climate Action Award is a genuine effort to accelerate climate action through the power of people and technology, supporting bold ideas in adaptation and mitigation.” – Simon Stiell, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary
What solutions are we looking for?
Anyone above the age of 18 years is welcome to submit an open-source AI-powered solution that contributes to climate change adaptation and/or mitigation action in least developed countries (LDCs) or small island developing States (SIDS). This could be a solution for low-emission and/or climate-resilient development in agriculture, energy, water, waste, transport, early warning systems, health or other areas. Submissions should demonstrate how AI is being used to address climate-related challenges in innovative, impactful, and context-specific ways.
How to take part?
Register and submit your entry by 31 July 2025. Simply provide a description of your solution in max. 300 words. Our panel of expert judges will thoroughly evaluate each submission and select the top entries to move on to the next round.
Timeline
Three rounds of selection
1st Round: Written Submission · Deadline: 31 July 2025
In the first round, applicants are required to submit a written project description of max. 500 words. The submission should clearly explain the climate-related challenge addressed, the role of AI in the solution, and the proven or expected impact of the solution in the context of LDCs and SIDS. A panel of expert judges will evaluate all submissions based on relevance, impact, leadership, origin, alignment, and open-source nature. Semifinalists will be selected to move forward to the next round.
2nd Round: Video Submission (Semifinalist Round) · August 2025
Selected semifinalists will be invited to submit a 3-minute video presentation of their project. This round allows teams to visually and personally convey their story, context, technical details, and real-world impact of their solution. The video should demonstrate the AI component in action (if possible), show the team behind the project, and provide any supporting evidence of impact or implementation.
3rd Round: Live Pitch (Finalist Round) · September 2025
Finalists will be invited to present their project in a 10-minute virtual live pitch session in front of the judging panel. This round focuses on clear, compelling communication, the ability to respond to live questions, and the strength of the team’s vision. The live pitch will serve as the final step in determining the Winner of the AI for Climate Action Award 2025.
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
Who can participate?
Anyone above the age of 18 years, with an open-source, AI-powered climate solution developed in or for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) or Small Island Developing States (SIDS) is encouraged to apply. Applications are welcome from individuals, teams, start-ups, organizations, or any other type of entity.
Are AI solutions that are still in the ideation stage eligible to participate?
Yes, solutions in ideation stage are accepted.
Do I need to be an AI expert or data scientist to apply?
No, we welcome proposals from individuals and teams with different backgrounds and skills. You don’t have to be an AI expert.
Your proposal should clearly show how you plan to use AI to address climate change in least developed countries and small island developing States. If AI is new to you, list partners you plan to work with to develop and implement your proposed AI solution.
The AI for Climate Action Award 2025 values diverse ideas and skills. We believe that people from different fields working together can create the best solutions for climate change.
How will the solutions be evaluated?
The evaluation of submissions will be based on the following criteria:
- Relevance: The suitability and scalability of the proposed solution in LDCs and SIDS.
- Impact: The potential of the solution to enhance climate resilience and/or reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Preference will be given to projects that have demonstrated measurable results or a clearly defined pathway to significant impact.
- Inclusive leadership: Special consideration will be given to solutions that are led by women, recognizing the importance of inclusive leadership in driving equitable climate action.
- Origin: Solutions originating from LDCs or SIDS will receive positive consideration.
- Alignment: Solutions that can support activities and areas of work in the UNFCCC Technology Mechanism Joint Work Programme 2023-2027.
- Open-source: To what extent does the open-source nature of the solution align with the baseline requirements for recognition as a digital public good?
Note: If you are a start-up and your solution is not tailored to LDCs or SIDS, we invite you to participate in the ITU AI for Climate Action Innovation Factory instead.
Dates
Deadline: July 31, 2025
Cost/funding for participants
Prizes
Winner
- Travel to the UN Climate Change Conference COP 30 in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025 to receive the AI for Climate Action Award 2025
- Visibility and networking opportunities at COP 30
- Media exposure via UNFCCC communciation channels
Finalists
- Visibility on the AI for Climate Action Award page
- Media exposure via UNFCCC communication channels
- Coaching for the live pitch session
Semifinalists
- Visibility on the AI for Climate Action Award page
- Media exposure via UNFCCC communication channels
- Coaching for the video production
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
