- Up to $150K Per Project: Grants available for 12-month projects focusing on AI’s role in climate change solutions.
- $1.4M in Total Funding: Multiple projects will be awarded from a $1.4 million grant pool.
- Global Collaboration: Principal Investigators must be from OECD member countries, but Co-Investigators can be based globally, promoting diverse, multi-sectoral research.
The Opportunity
Climate Change AI is offering grants of up to $150,000 per project for innovative 12-month research initiatives that harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to address climate change. Funded by Quadrature Climate Foundation, Google DeepMind, and Global Methane Hub, the program will allocate a total of $1.4 million to support work at the intersection of AI and climate science.
Scope of Research
These grants aim to catalyze research across multiple domains that can drive real-world climate solutions. AI and ML have the potential to help mitigate climate change and enhance climate resilience in sectors such as:
- Energy: Improving efficiency, managing methane leaks, or developing low-carbon technologies.
- Agriculture and Forestry: Addressing emissions from livestock, enhancing sustainable practices, and managing biomass burning.
- Climate Science and Adaptation: Creating predictive models for climate events, aiding disaster response, or informing policy and economic decisions.
Projects are expected to create public outputs, such as datasets, models, or research papers, which are critical for the continued development of climate-focused AI solutions. All produced datasets must comply with FAIR Data Principles to ensure they are accessible and useful for the broader community.
Special Tracks
In addition to the Main Track, which invites projects using AI to address climate change mitigation, adaptation, or governance challenges, there are two special tracks:
- Methane Track: Proposals targeting methane-related issues, such as emissions from energy, waste, and agriculture sectors, to achieve near-term climate impact.
- Dataset Gaps Track: Focus on creating datasets or simulators that can further enable AI/ML research in climate change. Applicants may also request support from Google DeepMind researchers for guidance.
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Eligibility
Principal Investigators (PIs) must be affiliated with an accredited university in one of the 38 OECD member countries. However, Co-Investigators can be located outside OECD countries and affiliated with non-research institutions. This encourages a diverse and interdisciplinary approach to tackling climate challenges.
Teams are encouraged to collaborate globally and involve multiple sectors. While multi-country projects are welcome, they should not include organizations from sanctioned countries or those on the Consolidated Screening List. Additionally, this grant cannot fund research activities that are currently covered by other grant programs.
Project Outputs
Funded projects are required to publish a documented dataset or simulator that was either created or enhanced through their research. These datasets must be openly accessible to support further AI-driven work in climate science. Successful projects may result in tangible outcomes such as:
- Deployed AI/ML systems addressing real-world climate problems
- Published scientific papers advancing climate research
- Open-source code and models
All intellectual property produced must be released under an open license to maximize public benefit.
Application Process and Timeline
Interested applicants should submit proposals via the CMT Submission Site by September 15, 2024. The review process will be single-blind, conducted by independent reviewers who will assess proposals based on their relevance to climate action, feasibility, AI/ML impact, and ethical considerations.
- Proposal Submission Deadline: September 15, 2024
- Notification of Results: December 2024
- Award Start Date: February 2025
- Award End Date: February 2026
Selection Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated on several criteria, including:
- Climate and AI/ML Relevance: Clear connections between AI/ML and climate action, with a focus on mitigation and adaptation.
- Pathway to Impact: How the project’s results could be deployed in real-world applications.
- Equity and Ethics Considerations: Addressing potential risks, societal impacts, and equity in both project execution and deployment.
- Feasibility and Expertise: Teams should demonstrate the capability to execute their project within the proposed timeline and budget.
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Proposals that focus on underfunded areas, involve deployment partners, and integrate equity considerations will be given favorable consideration.
Get Involved:
For more information and application instructions, please visit the CMT Submission Site. Two informational webinars will be held on July 30, 2024, and August 15, 2024.
For any questions, reach out to grants@climatechange.ai.
This funding presents a critical opportunity to leverage AI for climate action, facilitating impactful work across academia, industry, and beyond.
