Software developers and development practitioners have been challenged to an "Apps for Climate" competition, launched on Friday 2 December by the World Bank at COP17.
The competition requires developers to use open data to create innovative software applications that can help solve some of the development problems that climate change poses.
"The competition aims to discover new and extraordinary ways to use open climate data," said Andrew Steer, World Bank special envoy for climate change.
"We hope to unleash the creative energy out there which will make apps that help create solutions to weather-related disasters, risks for agriculture, food and water supplies, rising sea levels and other climate related challenges."
"This latest challenge builds on our earlier 'Apps for Development' competition, which also drew some very creative ideas related to adaptation."
The "apps" for this latest competition can be created for the web, mobile devices, SMS and a desktop, or a tablet.
Steer also released the latest edition of the World Bank's Little Data Book series - The Little Data Book on Climate Change.
This pocket-sized book provides summary national, international and regional data on climate-relevant topics, including current and projected climate conditions, exposure to climate impacts, resilience, greenhouse gas emissions, climate finance, and current national and international efforts to take action.
The initiative will provide easy access to a first batch of high-quality data sets and analysis. In the coming months, as the initiative develops, more data and other critical climate information will be rolled out.
"Governments need access to climate data to make the best use of their water resources and also to plan for the extreme floods, cyclones and droughts that afflict our countries on a regular basis," said Ana Chichava, Mozambique's deputy environment minister.
"Local people also need access to this data - and in forms that they can use, so they can make the right choices over when to plant, harvest and when it is safe to go to sea to fish. We strongly support efforts to make climate data open and accessible for public use."
The competition includes cash prizes to the winning entries. Apps must be submitted by 16 March 2012. For more info, go to http://www.worldbank.org/appsforclimate.
For more information on the booklet, go to http://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org.
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