Twenty-four hours to propose solutions for the sustainable development of their own cities and address climate change. This is Climathon, a global initiative to address city climate challenges across the globe while involving citizens’ ideas and expertises. Climathon Lecce will focused on urban green spaces, Climaton Venice on strategies for a more sustainable waste management. With the contribution of international experts and professionals, local authorities and institutions, and high school students.
Climathon Lecce starts on October 26 at 10:00 and ends 24 hours after, with the declaration of the winners at Officine Cantelmo (Viale Michele De Pietro, Lecce). Climathon Venice starts a day before, on October 25 at 9:30 and ends 24 hours after, with the declaration of the winners at Parco Scientifico Tecnologico (VEGA, Venezia-Marghera).

Lecce chose urban green spaces, their potential and benefits to address climate change. Climate change scenarios for the Salento region show us that temperatures will considerably increase in the future, hot days will become more frequent in number, rainfall patterns will be altered: it will rain less during the year, but heavy rainfall will increase and be produced by fewer, more intense events. These changes have several consequences for cities, where the microclimate is defined by urban heat islands, and where intense precipitation events can affect the urban drainage systems. These conditions can influence the health and welfare of urban residents, the security of urban infrastructures and the quality of the urban environment. There are many solutions to address these societal challenges, some of which are inspired and supported by nature. For that reason, Climathon Lecce launches a challenge focused on urban green spaces as a solution for a more resilient city in order to adapt to climate change and mitigate its impacts on cities.

Venice is one of the world’s most vulnerable cities to the current and expected impacts of climate change. Venice is dominated by tourism, the most waste intensive sector of the local economy. With Venice’s 2018 Climathon, the city is looking for ideas and solutions to increase its ability to reduce the impacts of resource use and greenhouse gas emissions while minimizing the impacts of consumption on climate change. How to make Venice cleaner and show the world new ways of waste reduction to reduce the effects of consumption on climate change? What are the possible approaches to reducing resource use and waste production in Venice? How can arts and science support the cause? What type of projects and communication campaigns can effectively reduce waste generation, limit plastics consumption and improve the climate performance of Venice as an iconic city? The participants of Climathon Venice 2018 will try to answer to these questions.

Climathon is a global 24-hour climate change hackathon which will take place simultaneously in major cities around the world on 26 October 2018. It is an international event promoted by Climate-KIC. It brings together the challenges of the world’s cities with the people who have the passion and ability to solve them.

For further information on the events and their key protagonists:
The press release of CLIMATHON LECCE (in Italian only).
The press release of CLIMATHON VENICE (in Italian only).
The official page of the event CLIMATHON LECCE and the page of the event on the CMCC website.
The official page of the event CLIMATHON VENICE and the page of the event on the CMCC website.