At the Open Earth Foundation, we’re excited to introduce CityCatalyst, a platform aimed at supporting cities and regional governments in their journey towards decarbonization. In the face of global efforts to combat climate change, we have identified a critical challenge faced by many cities – the accurate preparation of greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories. CityCatalyst is designed to address this challenge head-on, providing cities with a powerful digital platform to manage their climate data and create comprehensive GHG inventories.

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The Challenge: Navigating the Complexities of Climate Data

Despite widespread recognition of the urgent need to address climate change, numerous cities struggle to prepare accurate GHG inventories. Recognizing the importance of overcoming this hurdle, we embarked on a thorough exploration process in collaboration with subnational governments. The outcome of this process led to the creation of CityCatalyst, a platform specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of cities in their decarbonization efforts.

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CityCatalyst: Empowering Urban Climate Action

CityCatalyst stands out with several key features:

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Intuitive User Interface: Its user-friendly design streamlines climate data management, making it accessible and manageable for city officials of all skill levels.

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Pre-Loaded Data: Offering a repository of ready-to-use data, the platform fast-tracks the GHG inventory process, shifting the focus from data collection to impactful climate action.

Efficient Data Compilation: CityCatalyst offers a structured, guided approach to data compilation, alleviating the complexities typically involved in gathering essential climate information.

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Data Enrichment with AI: Leveraging AI for data harmonization, CityCatalyst enhances climate data accuracy through integration with advanced third-party sources, including cutting-edge satellite data.

Capacity Building Resources: The platform extends beyond data management, offering educational tools and resources to enhance the expertise of city officials, vital for effective and autonomous climate action planning.

AI-Powered Chatbot Assistance: A custom AI chatbot is embedded within CityCatalyst, providing real-time assistance, ensuring a smooth, guided user experience.

Project Financing Pathways: CityCatalyst understands the financial aspects of sustainable projects, offering pathways to project financing, aiding cities in realizing their climate action plans.

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Embracing Open Source and Global Collaboration

In line with our commitment to fostering collaboration and innovation, CityCatalyst is developed as an open-source platform. We invite contributions from the global community and encourage collaboration opportunities to further enhance the platform's capabilities. Together, we can create a powerful tool that empowers cities to combat climate change effectively.

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Pilots Paving the Way

Our initial pilots in the USA and Latin America, scheduled for 2024, will showcase CityCatalyst's potential and dynamically improve the tool based on direct user feedback. We are catering to both global north and global south cities and cities to meet a wide range of needs. By integrating data with tools on the platform, cities are transitioning seamlessly from data compilation to decarbonization planning, financing, and implementation, marking a new era in urban sustainability.

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Join the CityCatalyst Movement

CityCatalyst represents a significant step forward in supporting cities and regional governments on their decarbonization journey. By addressing the challenges associated with GHG inventory preparation, we aim to empower cities to take meaningful climate actions. Join us in this exciting initiative, and let's work together to build a sustainable and resilient future for our cities and the planet. If you are interested in collaborating on the CityCatalyst project, please refer to the information provided below. Together, we can make a lasting impact on the path to a greener, more sustainable world.  If you would like to collaborate on this project, please see the information below. 

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Ways to Collaborate with the CityCatalyst Project:

Connect with Your Local Government: Help us establish partnerships with your local city government by connecting us with decision-makers who can explore CityCatalyst as a pilot project. 

Data Provider Referrals: Introduce us to any 3rd party data providers  you know specializing in city GHG inventories, so we can enhance our data sources. 

Be a Pilot Program Participant: If you are a city official and would like to join our pilot program to actively contribute to the development and improvement of CityCatalyst. 

If you have a city pilot in mind, are a city official working on your GHG inventory or know of a relevant 3rd party data provider, reach out to: greta@openearth.org

Donate and Support: Your donations can make a meaningful impact in implementing CityCatalyst in cities. Consider contributing to support our mission. Donate here. 

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