Elsevier Foundation Chemistry for Climate Action Challenge 2025 ($25,000 prize): (Deadline 15 September 2024)

The Chemistry for Climate Action Challenge is one of the Elsevier Foundation’s flagship partnerships. Together with Elsevier’s Chemistry journals, the Elsevier Foundation provides funding for two winning projects per year, implementing green & sustainable chemistry solutions in the Global South – advancing both Climate Action (SDG 13) and Gender Equity (SDG 5).

Climate change is the most important challenge for the future of our planet, affecting every country on every continent, and it is essential that we take action. Climate change is not only causing rising sea levels and changing weather patterns but is also disrupting national economies and affecting lives. Chemical sciences play a critical role in developing a sustainable future: whether it’s CO2 reduction and utilization, cleaner production, energy conversion and storage, entire lifecycles of chemical products, or waste reduction.

Through its focus on Climate Action, the Chemistry for Climate Action Challenge also supports SDG5, Gender Equality, recognizing the pivotal role that women play in combating climate change. Projects submitted to the Challenge must integrate a gender dimension (such as addressing the role of women in adapting to climate shifts and participating in policymaking and leadership roles) into their projects.

Prize of Elsevier Foundation Chemistry

• The Elsevier Foundation Chemistry for Climate Action Challenge awards two prizes of $25,000 USD each.

Eligibility for Elsevier Foundation Chemistry

• Open to individuals and organizations whose projects use green and sustainable chemistry solutions to tackle some of the developing world’s greatest sustainability challenges.

Projects will be reviewed according to the following criteria:

• The proposal clearly describes the urgency of the problem.
• The project utilizes innovative green and sustainable chemistry and chemical sciences approach.
• The project is replicable, scalable, sustainable (make sure to specify why), and sets a benchmark for innovation – new ideas or concepts in development will be given preference over more advanced projects.
• The proposal highlights the novelty of your approach and gives a short literature overview of what has been done before, both by you and others.
• The project is applicable in and suitable for developing countries. Describe the project’s social impact on local communities, including gender equality either in design or implementation.
• The project must have an impactful gender component, clearly describing the sex/gender dimensions of the research.
• Include an implementation plan of the project.
• The project must also disclose a full and detailed budget plan in USD highlighting any funding already raised and plans to close any funding gap between the prize money of USD 25,000 and your total budget costs.

Application

The Top 5 finalists will be selected to compete for the two prizes and will be invited to present their proposal at the 9th Elsevier Green & Sustainable Chemistry Conference (3-6 March, 2025).

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