Data vs Climate Change Hackathon

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Thank you for your interest in the DataJam North East Data vs Climate Change Hackathon. We're sorry you missed the registration deadline. Please get in touch with nicd@newcastle.ac.uk if you would like to join the DataJam North East Community and be included on the mailing list for similar events.

Data vs Climate Change Hackathon

DataJam North East hybrid hackathon in partnership with NICD and NEECCo. Using data to help the region tackle climate change.

By DataJam NE in partnership with NICD and NEECCo

Date and time

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 17:00 - Fri, 22 Oct 2021 18:30 GMT+1

Location

Remote Hackathon & In-person Socials @ The Catalyst (see agenda for details)

3 Science Square Newcastle Helix Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5TG United Kingdom

About this event

Climate change may well be the defining crisis of our time and it’s easy to feel powerless in the face of such a huge global challenge. However, we can make a difference, as Greta Thunberg has demonstrated. Help the North East tackle climate change by joining our hack!

How can you help?

Data vs Climate Change is a two-day hybrid hackathon aimed at gathering, analysing and visualising data from across the North East, intended to help us measure whether we as a region are changing fast enough - holding up a mirror to what we are doing.

Join us in this hackathon to ‘improve the picture’. This is a brilliant opportunity to pick up new skills, including data skills and work with like-minded people in our fantastic DataJam Community. Alongside climate change presentations and workshops there will be experts on hand to assist in design, development and data analysis.

Whatever your skillset, we need you! From designers, developers, data and visualisation experts to critical thinkers, copywriters, team players and creative minds. If you don’t code, that’s cool. Come as you are!

Spaces are limited so register now to avoid missing out!

The Hack

We’ll be working with the North East of England Climate Coalition (NEECCo) who are focused on tackling the climate emergency, reversing ecological breakdown and delivering an urgent and just transition.

Background

NEECCo are developing a set of indicators to help understand if what we are doing is having the desired effect; if collectively and individually our changes in behaviours and consumption patterns are going the right way, fast enough.

The story so far …

NEECCo met with the National Innovation Centre for Data in late 2019 to initiate the work. Since then, NEECCo have worked to develop the approach, define the metrics and indicators, and identify existing data sources. It’s become clear that there are important gaps in the data and we are often dependent on proxies, however whilst we can expect new data sources and metrics to be developed, we should not wait but work openly with what is available, recognising that some metrics will change over time. So far, more than 100 individuals and organisations from the Tees Valley to Northumberland have informed the project. They are based in different sectors with diverse focuses, all contributing with their expertise towards becoming England’s greenest region.

What we aim to achieve

The intention for the hackathon is to help the region to create a console which will report progress against a variety of climate change indicators. While reflecting the central concern around reducing carbon use, it will take a holistic approach to include not only environmental impact, but also economic and social impact, and a measure of a just transition. Large numbers of open data sets (many of them pre-loaded) will be provided, and domain, data analytics and technology expertise will be available to assist attendees.

The Hack Challenges

The challenges we will be hacking against are:

1. Building an underlying platform to gather, manage and analyse data

The platform needs to be capable of taking updated data from source with a minimum of manual intervention. The NICD team will take the lead on this task but other attendees are welcome to join.

2. Building a console to display relevant information

How can we best display climate change information so as to engage the public and our decision makers. The NICD team will take the lead on this task but other attendees are welcome to join.

3. Green jobs

There is much talk about the green economy and how investing in technologies intended to ameliorate or even help reverse the impacts of climate change will create ‘green jobs’. What is a ‘green job’ and how can we measure it?

4. Fuel poverty

There were 3.2 M ‘fuel poor’ households in England in 2019 and the recent increases in gas prices are likely to impact many thousands of North-East elderly and low-income households. How can we identify ‘fuel poverty’ and how big a problem is it for our region?

5. How ‘green’ is our region?

How can we compare regions across the UK to identify those failing to do enough and draw this to the attention of their electorates? What are the key measures we should use and how can we visually communicate this concept of ‘greenness’?

6. Defra data platform.

This new platform (https://environment.data.gov.uk/) provides lots of environmental data. Can we utilise that to paint a regional picture?

7. Energy generation

Is this region behind or ahead of others e.g. number of wind turbines, green power generated, community energy?

Hack Teams

To help us form the Hack teams, please choose your preferred challenge from the above list and let us know when you register.

If none of the above challenges appeal to you, you can let us know on the registration form which general topic from the four below that is most of interest to you and we will engage with you directly to try to create a challenge tailored to you and like-minded individuals.

General Topics:

1. Natural Capital

2. Economic Impact

3. Social Impact

4. A Just Transition

Agenda

Wednesday 20th October - Welcome Social

Format: Join us in-person for welcome talks and a meet & greet at The Catalyst, on Newcastle Helix. Food and drinks will be provided! (Option to join talks remotely)

Start time: 5pm

  • Welcome
  • History of the North East and the Industrial Revolution
  • North East England Climate Coalition Introduction
  • Purpose of the Hackathon and Why Climate Change matters
  • What we want to achieve this week
  • Time to meet your hack team!
  • Drinks to finish

Plus, more speakers to be announced!

Thursday 21st October - Hack Day One

Format: Remote, Microsoft Teams

Start time: 9am

  • Welcome
  • Domain Expert Presentations and Q&A
  • 10am Hack Start
  • Lunch break and Technical Workshop Sessions
  • Domain Expert Drop In Sessions
  • 5pm Close.

Day one is over. Time to relax… or continue hacking on into the night. It’s up to you.

Friday 22nd October - Hack Day Two

Format: Remote, (Microsoft Teams)

Start time: 9am

  • Welcome Day Two
  • Domain Expert Drop In Sessions
  • 10am Hack Start
  • 2pm Hack Finish

For those joining us in person for the Closing Session, finish your hacking at about 2pm and come join us in The Catalyst for the wrap up and drinks reception!

Friday 22nd October - Closing Session, Awards & Drinks Reception

Format: In-Person at The Catalyst (Option to join remotely)

Start time: 3pm

  • Presentations from Hack Teams
  • Wrap-up and Awards
  • Words from North of Tyne Mayor, Jamie Driscoll
  • Next Steps with North East England Climate Coalition
  • Drinks Reception
  • 6.30pm Close

The Agenda is subject to change and the final Agenda will be sent through to all registered attendees closer to the event.

Event Partners

DataJam North East brings you this event in partnership with the National Innovation Centre for Data and the North East England Climate Coalition.

The event was made possible by our incredible sponsors:

FAQ

What is DataJam?

DataJam North East creates opportunities for people passionate about the North East to come together, connecting and building a community, to explore how we can use data to improve the lives of people in our region. Focusing on the major economic, social and environmental challenges we face, we try to do this with our collective skills and data through practical action.

Find out more about the DataJam North East Community here: https://www.nicd.org.uk/datajam

Who are we?

We're a community of people from all sectors, areas and interests with a passion for making things better through practical action.

I’m not a member of the DataJam community. Can I come along?

Absolutely, we’re delighted to welcome new people to our community.

Are Hackathons only for coders?

Coding is just one of many skills that are needed for a successful hackathon team. We welcome contributors of all kinds!

Not sure if this event is for you? Get in touch with us at nicd@newcastle.ac.uk.

How can I join a team?

First step, pick a challenge. Next you can either form your own team or sign up to be allocated to a team. If you already have a team in mind let us know on the registration form. We’ll be looking to finalise teams ahead of the event.

I’m not a part of a preformed team. Can I still join?

Yes! You don’t need to have a preformed team; you can sign up as an individual and we will pair you with others who share a passion for hacking towards the same challenge. Our events are a great way of meeting others across the North East who are eager to use their skill set to address key challenges and improve the lives of people in our region.

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