Mobile Apps for Climate Change
-Dr. V. Shubhalakshmi
Three mobile apps on urban birds, butterflies and trees of four metros; Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkatta and Hyderabad has been developed by Dr. V Shubhalaksmi, Founder & Director at Ladybird Consulting LLP. These apps include information about 50 common
species that are mostly found in these metros. The idea is to bring urban biodiversity information on the fingertips of the users. These apps will be FREELY available on Android platform. The mobile apps are developed by LycodonFX Pvt. Ltd.
Besides, the development of mobile apps, the project includes a School Citizen Science Programme titled as Urban iNaturewatch Challenge wherein 40 city schools would take up local biodiversity studies as part of their project work. These apps will be helpful
in identifying local trees, birds and butterflies which the students need to report back to the project website www.inaturewatch.com. The project is expected to develop 3000 student citizen scientists across the cities. The project partners include Greenline
of Don Bosco Development Society in Mumbai and WWF-India for other three metros.
The idea of mobile apps has been inspired from U.S. based Audubon Society eguides. The apps are aptly named as iNaturewatch which is the environmental citizen science initiative of the Navi Mumbai-based social enterprise- Ladybird Environmental Consulting.
The project which started in July 2014 has now completed its first phase wherein the mobile apps and website are being launched across the four metros. The applications have already been launched in Mumbaiand Hyderabad. Kolkatta and Delhi launches are
scheduled for next week.
Every year , the United States Department of International Alumni Exchange announces Alumni Innovation Engagement Fund which is a global funding competition to aid their exchange alumni to implement innovative projects in their countries. This year more
than 1000 proposals were submitted world wide, of which 53 proposals were selected as finalist and Dr. V.Shubhalaxmi, was the sole winner from India. She and her 5-member team won 25000 USD grant support for their year long project- Mobile Apps 4 Climate
Change.