#ThisIsCool Youth Innovation Challenge: A call for proposals

What is it?

The analysis for 2022 shows that across 54 high-impact countries identified in previous Chilling Prospects reports, 1.2 billion people among the rural and urban poor are at high risk due to a lack of access to cooling. A further 2.47 billion lower-middle-income people pose a different kind of risk: they will soon be able to purchase the most affordable air conditioner or refrigerator, but price sensitivity and limited purchasing options mean they favour devices that are likely to be inefficient, threatening energy systems and resulting in increased GHG emissions. Delivering on cooling needs with sustainable, affordable solutions will be key to achieving many Sustainable Development Goals.

What is your proposed technology or policy initiative to accelerate access to affordable and sustainable cooling?

What are we looking for?

We are looking for youth-led sustainable cooling solutions that can help deliver on one of more of the three cooling needs: 

• Human comfort and safety: passive or active personal, space or urban cooling
• Food, nutrition and agriculture: agricultural cold chain
• Health services: vaccine and medical cold chain

Initiatives may be in the ideation or implementation stage and should demonstrate potential for impact in terms of improving affordability and increasing access to sustainable cooling through one or more of the following:

1. passive and nature-based cooling solutions
2. renewable-based cooling solutions 
3. energy-efficient cooling solutions

How can you participate?

• Stay tuned for 2023!

How do we assess your ideas?

All the submissions would be assessed based on the following criteria. More details to follow.

• Goal alignment
• Functionality and relevance
• Outcome and impact
• Scalability and implementation

What do you win?

• Stay tuned for 2023!

Stay tuned for competitions coming up in 2023: follow #CoolingforAll and subscribe to the Cooling for All newsletter.