“DISRUPT CLIMATE DATA” CHALLENGE

Learn | Code | Solve

The Ontario Climate Consortium hosted its first-ever climate data competition as part of the 2017 Ontario Climate Symposium at York University.

We invited laboratories at academic institutions and students from Ontario Universities in any discipline and all levels of experience to come together to participate in the development of an innovative programming and design solution to a practical climate change data problem.

The “Disrupt Climate Data” Challenge provided an opportunity for innovators to develop creative tools that assist in improving users’ access and understanding of climate data. The competition also gave students an opportunity to be trained in the practical issues of climate data, while competing for an award of up to $5,000, which was sponsored by the OCC and the Insurance Bureau of Canada.

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BACKGROUND

Climate change remains one of the most important issues of our time. Access to reliable, understandable climate data that is easy to use, yet captures the complexities and uncertainty of climate modeling, is paramount to reducing climate impacts and risk.

Many users in Ontario have encountered difficulty in understanding the data they are obtaining online — and, in particular, the uncertainties associated with it.

Geographic information systems and maps (like this one) have been used to display and communicate climate data, but uncertainty remains a difficult aspect to incorporate and interpret.

Our challenge to participants: To disrupt the way climate data is currently displayed online, to make it more accessible and understandable.

Our goal: the creation of a widget, graph or other type of visual tool that can be used or embedded in existing data portals online to enhance user experience and understanding.

THE CHALLENGE

In all, 11 teams representing various universities across Ontario, as well as Upper Canada College, registered for the climate data challenge. All teams received the climate data in advance of the in-person event, along with support from the OCC secretariat to scope out potential solutions.

Three teams, totaling 12 students, took part in the in-person event at the 2017 Ontario Climate Symposium. During the event, the teams were mentored by public and private sector climate change practitioners, and were evaluated through a series of “pitch” presentations to a panel of judges.

READ THE
FINAL REPORT

THE SOLUTIONS:
Screenshots (Click to view full-sized)

	Solution: TEAM CODEBUSTERS

	Solution: TEAM DATALYTICS

	Solution: TEAM LIMECAT

PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS

We would like to acknowledge the generosity of the Government of Ontario and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) for the financial support to deliver the Disrupt Climate Data Challenge at the 2017 Ontario Climate Symposium, as well as the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) for their generous contribution to the award.