Hundreds of university and TAFE students from the Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and the European Union will take part in a 60-hour online hackathon to develop climate solutions ahead of COP31.

Climate Hack-tion is being organised by the European Union Delegation to Australia, together with its counterpart missions in New Zealand and Fiji.

Five climate priorities

The initiative will challenge teams of three to five students to develop a working prototype or realistic mock-up addressing one of COP31’s five priority areas.

These include electrification, zero waste and methane reduction, resilient cities and buildings, green industrialisation, and climate awareness.

Teams will be supported by Australian professionals from academia, industry, energy transition and finance.

Youth and climate action

European Union Ambassador to the Pacific Barbara Plinkert said Pacific youth are showing resilience and innovation in responding to climate change.

“Climate change is an existential threat to the Pacific, and the region’s youth are leading the way with profound resilience and innovation to address this challenge.”

She said the initiative aims to connect young people across the Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and Europe and turn climate priorities into practical solutions.

Climate Hack-tion will run from 9am AEST on October 2 to 9pm AEDT on October 4.

Winners will be announced at a closing ceremony on October 12, with a total prize pool of more than VT833,000.

The initiative comes ahead of COP31, with Australia serving as President of Negotiations and a Pre-COP Leaders’ event scheduled to be hosted in Fiji and Tuvalu from October 5 to 8.