Carbon reduction shouldn’t be a stab in the dark: help shape better CO2 measurement

1/10/12

A Carbon Data challenge prize will be launched later this year, run by innovation foundation Nesta, to overcome a lack of effective, usable carbon measurement and data – a major barrier to greenhouse gas reduction.

Ahead of the launch, Nesta, together with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the National Physical Laboratory, is launching a survey, Carbon Data Uncertainties, to help identify the public's most pressing carbon data measurement concerns.

The Carbon Data challenge prize will seek to encourage progress towards CO₂ reduction by finding the best advances in meaningful carbon measurement. The results of the online survey will help inform whether the challenge should focus on agriculture / crop production, reducing heat consumption, effective neighbourhood emissions measurement or shifting demand to off-peak energy use. The survey is live until 19 October and available at www.nesta.org.uk/carbondatasurvey

Vicki Purewal, head of Nesta's Centre for Challenge Prizes, explains, "The biggest uncertainties around carbon measurement are in the most complex sectors - for example biofuels, buildings, residency and energy efficiency. We would like people to come forward and let us know which areas they feel need the most urgent attention in terms of carbon measurement.

"Investors, policy makers and the public need better data about carbon savings to determine the most appropriate platforms, technologies or projects to invest in. Much of the carbon market and information about the performance of low carbon technologies doesn't relate well to the real world; this is not the best basis for policy, investment, business or household decisions."

Once launched, the challenge prize will seek submissions for innovative ideas for technologies, processes and other interventions that will make data available and usable in ways that will have the most impact on carbon reduction.

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Notes to editor

For further information or to arrange an interview with Nesta, please contact Sarah Reardon on 020 7438 2606 / sarah.reardon@nesta.org.uk

• The Carbon Data Uncertainties survey closes on 19 October.
• The Carbon Data challenge prize will be launched in late 2012, terms and conditions will apply. It will be run by Nesta's Centre for Challenge Prizes and part-funded by Nesta, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Centre for Carbon Measurement at the National Physical Laboratory.

About Nesta - www.nesta.org.uk 

Nesta is the UK's innovation foundation. We help people and organisations bring great ideas to life. We do this by providing investments and grants and mobilising research, networks and skills.

We are an independent charity and our work is enabled by an endowment from the National Lottery.

Nesta Operating Company is a registered charity in England and Wales with a company number 7706036 and charity number 1144091. Registered as a charity in Scotland number SC042833. Registered office: 1 Plough Place, London, EC4A 1DE