Climathon Zürich

Climathon Zurich 2024 

Climathon is a worldwide movement of people who actively fight climate change. At the centre of the movement is a 32-hour climate hackathon. This year, Climathons are held in cities around the world, including Zurich. 

For this purpose,  real climate challenges are provided, which participants - students, professionals, scientists, policy makers and creative thinkers - will then address together in teams. This year's challenges are as follows:

By Stadt Zürich: 

• Challenge #1: Culture of Change: How can culture and art inspire climate action?

The City of Zurich aims for net-zero emissions by 2040, which will require technological, political, and societal changes. Culture and art can make a significant impact in society. The challenge is to use creative expressions to raise awareness, promote sustainable behavioural change, and foster a collective commitment to climate action. The goal is to develop innovative and cultural initiatives and engage diverse communities.

• Challenge #2: Flying less? Easy! How do we turn land-based travel into the new normal? Flying is the biggest source of travel-related greenhouse gas emissions of Zurich's citizens. Situated in the centre of Western Europe, along the Alpine Rhine Corridor, which connects 770 million people, Zurich has great potential to lead the way in promoting land-based travel. How can we make land-based travel more attractive, sustainable, and practical for daily transportation, ultimately making flying less the new normal?

• Challenge #3: Keep cool: How can we empower Zurich's citizens to adapt to increasing extreme heat? Climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of heatwaves since the 1950s, posing significant challenges to cities and their inhabitants. This Climathon challenge invites participants to develop innovative, citizen-focused solutions that help Zurich's residents respond and adapt to extreme heat. We seek practical, easy-to-implement ideas that empower individuals and communities to take action and build resilience.

  
  

By Patagonia: 

• Challenge  #4: Employees for Change: How can we empower employees to drive impactful sustainability initiatives within their companies? Change makers within companies hold the potential to dramatically advance net zero targets. Employees, as central figures in organisations, can serve as catalysts for meaningful sustainability initiatives that align with both corporate and environmental objectives. Your mission is to generate ideas that inspire and empower employees to take the lead in driving sustainability efforts within their organisations.

The best projects have the chance to win a slice of the prize money and receive further implementation support by Stadt Zürich, Impact Hub Zurich and other partners.

Ready for the challenge?

Register here: Climathon Zurich