IBM and C40 Cities have announced a collaboration through the IBM Sustainability Accelerator to develop AI-driven solutions to ‘advance city resiliency and address specific challenges facing urban communities’.
The initiative, which ties in with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11 – ‘Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable’ – will seek to address challenges linked to extreme heat and ‘urban heat island‘ effects.
‘On the frontline’
“Cities are on the frontline of an extreme heat crisis,” commented Mark Watts, executive director of C40 Cities, a global network of mayors that work together to confront the climate crisis.
He added that through the partnership with IBM, “We have a groundbreaking opportunity to harness AI-driven solutions to help cities analyse risks, strengthen resilience, and protect their most vulnerable communities. At C40, we are committed to ensuring mayors have the best data and tools available to make informed decisions and drive impactful climate action.”
At the start of 2024, IBM requested proposals from non-profit and government organisations focused on technology-driven projects to advance city resiliency, with C40 Cities one of five groups chosen to participate in the new cohort of IBM Sustainability Accelerator projects.
Each participating organisation will receive up to $3 million in cash and in-kind contributions to leverage AI technology to build more resilient cities. The C40 Cities partnership will span two years.
‘Potential to improve people’s lives’
“AI has the potential to unlock a new economic and innovation era for communities worldwide, helping people tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow,” added Justina Nixon-Saintil, IBM vice president and chief impact officer. “We believe that much of this potential to improve people’s lives resides in transforming cities, and this is what we are aiming to do with our AI technology and expertise.”
IBM’s Sustainability Accelerator to date already supported 20 organisations, while as of last year, the technology giant has supported around 65,300 direct beneficiaries through its sustainable agriculture initiatives. Read more here.
