The city of Santiago de Chile joins to Climathon 2016 with Valencia, Murcia and Castellón

Within the framework of the European Union official mission about the Circular Economy to Chile, led by DG Env the Director-General Daniel Calleja and where Climate-KIC Spain was invited, there were held numerous contacts and meetings that shape this kind of initiatives of the European Union and the General Directorate of Environment Management as a useful tool to find out synergies and collaboration opportunities with countries set in the other side of the Atlantic in the global commitment to the fight against climate change.

Apart from the beginning of the collaboration and relationship with the City of Santiago de Chile, motivated not only by previously existing economic and cultural bonds between the Mediterranean Geography of Climate-KIC and Latin America, it has just been confirmed by the Mayor of the city, Carolina Toha, her city participation in the next global edition of Climathon by Climate-KIC. This event is going to be held simultaneously on 28 October in more than 70 cities in the world, including Paris, London, Berlin, Toronto, Miami, Washington, Vancouver, Sao Paolo or Buenos Aires among others.

Beside City of Santiago de Chile and others Hispanics, also it has joined to the Climathon 2016 for the first time as Spanish representatives the cities of Valencia, Murcia and Castellón.

In the high participation of this second edition, noteworthly the effort and support carried out by the management team of Education, led by its Director Ebrahim Mohamed and Rahul Bansal, Deputy Director of Education and other members of Climate-KIC and Mediterranean Geography, who have made a strong bet on Climathon as a tool to gather innovative solutions to the challenges set out by cities in the fight against climate change.

The Director of Climate-KIC Spain, Jose-Luis Muñoz has been very pleased with this news and with the results that began with this official EU mission Circular Economy Chile and said “Latin America, especially Chile are very interested in closer ties with the European Union. Its Network of Municipalities against climate change wants to be very involved with the Circular Economy, and in this regard Climate-KIC may act as a bridge between Europe and Latin America to incorporate innovative solutions that make sustainability possible in these municipalities and the fight against climate change”.

Climathon brings together the challenges of the world’s cities with the people who have the passion and ability to solve them in a global 24-hour climate change event organised by Climate-KIC which will take place simultaneously in major cities around the world on 28 October 2016.

Each city sets up its own local climate change challenge reflecting what impacts their urban life most. These challenges include urban planning, infrastructure, housing and water/waste removal, use of city satellite data etc.

Participants can come along with a pre-existing idea and work with a team to develop this during the 24 hours, or can develop an idea on the day. This event enables to meet new multidisciplinary ideas to solve challenges in the city, involving students, entrepreneurs and innovators; offering them the opportunity to present their proposals and strengthening links between business, academia and administration.

After 24 intense hours of collaboration, excitement and solution-finding, the best idea in each city will be selected by a jury consisting of relevant local stakeholders.