Innovation challenge to cut air & water pollution in Delhi
Updated: Dec 02, 2015 11:49:56am
New Delhi, Dec 2 (KNN) Government of Delhi has launched a challenge to cut air and water pollution, calling organizations, agencies, students, and researchers across India with promising programs or interventions that address energy and environmental challenges to participate in the challenge.
The first-of-its-kind competition focused on improving air and water quality in Delhi is an initiative of the University of Chicago Urban Labs and the Delhi Dialogue Commission (DDC – an advisory body of the Delhi government). In this context grassroots ideas from citizens, civic leaders, academics, corporations, and other institutions across India have been solicited, according to an official release.
In the Urban Labs Innovation Challenge, Delhi will award up to Rs two crore in funding to the most promising solutions. Proposals should broadly confront the challenges that Delhi faces in energy reliability and efficiency and help reduce environmental hazards to public health and climate for the residents of the national capital.
Further, the Urban Labs will work with the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago’s India Office (EPIC-India) and the Delhi government to pilot and test the winning projects that could then be scaled up across the region and become important models for other cities.
Participants will have to submit short Letters of Interest (not to exceed 3 single-spaced pages); description of the problem that the intervention seeks to address; explanation of the proposed intervention and the transformational impact that the intervention is expected to have; detailed plan for implementation, including all partner organizations involved, project timelines, and a budgetary breakdown.
In addition, they would have to indicate methodology to evaluate the impact of the proposed intervention; and provide - description of any foreseeable risks and challenges that need to be overcome for successful implementation of the intervention; and specific details of any assistance needed from the Delhi government for successful implementation.
The Innovation Challenge can only provide financial assistance of up to Rs. 2 crores over a period of 2 years. Last date for letters of interest is March 1, 2016.
It is hoped that the competition will find novel and lasting solutions to tackle pollution and environment related issues in Delhi.
Commenting on the initiatives, executive director of EPIC-India, Anant Sudarshan said, “Testing the ideas in advance ensures not only that the policy is designed to work, but also that it can be effectively scaled up and implemented. We’re excited to be partnering with the Delhi government on this innovative approach to robust, evidence-based policymaking.”
The evidence-based policymaking approach has a record of success in India and beyond. In Gujarat, EPIC-India researchers worked with local officials to improve the environmental auditing system. Their pilot reforms reduced pollution by 28 per cent and in January were officially adopted by the Gujarat government. The approach is also the cornerstone of the model for Urban Labs, which recently announced the winners of a similar Innovation Challenge in Chicago. The grants from that challenge will help the city identify, evaluate, and scale promising programs to help disadvantaged populations, including a project that will use insights from behavioural economics to improve energy efficiency and lower costs for low-income families.
“The deep challenges communities face are often best understood by the people on the ground,” says Michael Greenstone, the director of EPIC and the Urban Labs’ Energy & Environment Lab. “This Innovation Challenge taps those ideas, and relies on close collaboration between researchers and policymakers to make sure those novel ideas are also successful policies proven to work. We are excited to work with the Delhi Government who have been great partners and have shown remarkable leadership. There is great potential for approaches like this one to multiply in cities throughout India and beyond.”
To learn more about the Challenge and submit an idea, visit: urbanlabsdelhi.uchicago.in. (KNN Bureau)
The first-of-its-kind competition focused on improving air and water quality in Delhi is an initiative of the University of Chicago Urban Labs and the Delhi Dialogue Commission (DDC – an advisory body of the Delhi government). In this context grassroots ideas from citizens, civic leaders, academics, corporations, and other institutions across India have been solicited, according to an official release.
In the Urban Labs Innovation Challenge, Delhi will award up to Rs two crore in funding to the most promising solutions. Proposals should broadly confront the challenges that Delhi faces in energy reliability and efficiency and help reduce environmental hazards to public health and climate for the residents of the national capital.
Further, the Urban Labs will work with the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago’s India Office (EPIC-India) and the Delhi government to pilot and test the winning projects that could then be scaled up across the region and become important models for other cities.
Participants will have to submit short Letters of Interest (not to exceed 3 single-spaced pages); description of the problem that the intervention seeks to address; explanation of the proposed intervention and the transformational impact that the intervention is expected to have; detailed plan for implementation, including all partner organizations involved, project timelines, and a budgetary breakdown.
In addition, they would have to indicate methodology to evaluate the impact of the proposed intervention; and provide - description of any foreseeable risks and challenges that need to be overcome for successful implementation of the intervention; and specific details of any assistance needed from the Delhi government for successful implementation.
The Innovation Challenge can only provide financial assistance of up to Rs. 2 crores over a period of 2 years. Last date for letters of interest is March 1, 2016.
It is hoped that the competition will find novel and lasting solutions to tackle pollution and environment related issues in Delhi.
Commenting on the initiatives, executive director of EPIC-India, Anant Sudarshan said, “Testing the ideas in advance ensures not only that the policy is designed to work, but also that it can be effectively scaled up and implemented. We’re excited to be partnering with the Delhi government on this innovative approach to robust, evidence-based policymaking.”
The evidence-based policymaking approach has a record of success in India and beyond. In Gujarat, EPIC-India researchers worked with local officials to improve the environmental auditing system. Their pilot reforms reduced pollution by 28 per cent and in January were officially adopted by the Gujarat government. The approach is also the cornerstone of the model for Urban Labs, which recently announced the winners of a similar Innovation Challenge in Chicago. The grants from that challenge will help the city identify, evaluate, and scale promising programs to help disadvantaged populations, including a project that will use insights from behavioural economics to improve energy efficiency and lower costs for low-income families.
“The deep challenges communities face are often best understood by the people on the ground,” says Michael Greenstone, the director of EPIC and the Urban Labs’ Energy & Environment Lab. “This Innovation Challenge taps those ideas, and relies on close collaboration between researchers and policymakers to make sure those novel ideas are also successful policies proven to work. We are excited to work with the Delhi Government who have been great partners and have shown remarkable leadership. There is great potential for approaches like this one to multiply in cities throughout India and beyond.”
To learn more about the Challenge and submit an idea, visit: urbanlabsdelhi.uchicago.in. (KNN Bureau)
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