Low carbon competition launched

A £1 million competition has been launched in a bid to identify some of the best ideas to help in the struggle against climate change.

The Big Green Challenge, from the National Endowment for Science Technology and Arts (Nesta), will identify groups with the best ideas for reducing emissions, with ten finalists being given funding to help implement their idea.

The competition is open to any community group or charity that can think up a scheme to reduce carbon emissions by at least 60 per cent. To be successful, they will have to show that their idea could be applied to other settings, and expanded to include more people or organisations.

"The findings suggest that many of the potentially great ideas out there that could have a real impact on our big social problems are going to waste," said Jonathan Kestenbaum, chief executive of Nesta.

"The New Year offers an opportunity to bring these ideas to the surface. By providing a financial incentive and expert support, we hope to encourage communities to come together to find new ways to tackle climate change."

More than 1,000 groups have so far registered an interest in the scheme, which is accepting ideas until the end of February.