CivTech Scotland has announced a collection of new challenges as part of its partnership programme with NatureScot.
Named Innovate for Nature, it is aimed at finding solutions from tech companies for problems faced by Scotland’s public sector bodies in protecting nature, with a particular focus on how technology can be used to develop evidence bases and make it easier to monitor and manage protected sites.
The accelerator programme for public services, which is backed by the Scottish Government, said the challenges will provide the potential for the wider roll outs of solutions beyond NatureScot, the national agency to protect the natural environment.
They cover:
- How can technology help NatureScot flexibly manage its udnertstanding of the state of protected areas by making best use of available evidence?
- The development of a system for investment in nature projects that delivers more than just carbon.
- How can biodiversity credits be designed to provide simplicity for projects and buyers?
- The use of technology to better assess and identify projects and opportunities that will improve and increase investment in Scotland’s natural capital.
- Using technology to create a nature network across different areas of Scotland by 2023.
Further challenges are being developed under a mission to build resilience on coasts and rivers.
The latest set of challenges is supported by £6 million of Scottish Government funding.
Big threats
NatureScot’s director of business services and transformation, Jane Macdonald, said: “Nature loss and climate change are two of the biggest threats we face, and so it’s crucial we respond to these challenges urgently.
“Innovate for Nature is helping us to do this by changing the way we work, using the CivTech Accelerator to harness digital innovation and helping us to collaborate with partners at speed to understand the issues and identify workable solutions.”
