Bezos Earth Fund $1M Greenhouse Gas Removal Ideation Prize

The Bezos Earth Fund $1M Greenhouse Gas Removal (GHGR) Ideation Prize is part of a global effort to address climate change through innovative and scalable solutions.

Introduction

We are seeking diverse, creative, and impactful ideas from across the world. Your participation will help the Bezos Earth Fund illuminate ideas worthy of support, guide upcoming strategy planning and roadmaps, and contribute to a growing ecosystem of innovators in this field.

Greenhouse Gas Removal is crucial for achieving the Paris Agreement objectives and mitigating the worst impacts of climate change. Rapid emissions reduction must remain a first order priority, however science suggests that reductions alone are insufficient; we must also remove greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, from the atmosphere. This removal is vital for returning greenhouse gas concentrations to pre-industrial levels and offsetting emissions from sectors challenging to decarbonize. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projects that several gigatons of GHG removal per year are needed by mid-century. Various techniques, both natural (like afforestation) and technological (such as direct air capture), each with their own merits and challenges, are being explored and invested in. Notably, there's been a surge in funding for carbon removal technologies, but less focus on other greenhouse gases, which are also significant for climate change. Effective GHG removal demands bridging the current gap in removal capabilities and scaling solutions to have a tangible impact on atmospheric greenhouse gas levels and global temperatures. The challenge of scale in particular requires attention to the whole ecosystem of challenges and opportunity spaces, including as relates to science & technology, markets & finance, socio-behavioral aspects & communities, and policy & regulation.

Our two-tier challenge is designed to illuminate and inspire groundbreaking ideas in the race to scale technological greenhouse gas removal solutions. The first phase involves awarding up to $4,000 to up to 50 compelling one-page proposals that present an innovative solution to a major GHG removal challenge. These proposals set the stage for the optional second phase where up to 12 of the most promising ideas will receive grants of up to $50,000 to validate and experiment with the proposed solution space, accelerating the GHG removal initiatives to scale.

In the sections that follow, you'll find detailed guidelines on the application process, criteria for evaluation, and the support provided by the Experiment Foundation. We encourage innovators, scientists, and environmental enthusiasts - whether you’ve spent decades in the climate space or are brand new - to engage with this opportunity to drive change and make a tangible impact in the fight against climate change.

Prize details

Click here to view the Prize Details and the Full Terms and Conditions.

How to participate

In 3,000 characters (roughly 500 words), describe your creative solution for removing greenhouse gas emissions. We are seeking innovative solutions to help overcome challenges across:

• Science & technology
• Policy & regulation
• Markets & finance
• Socio-behavioral & communities
• Measuring, reporting and verification (MRV)

for technologies related to:

• carbon dioxide removal (rock, ocean, land, air)
• methane removal
• nitrous oxide removal

Our panel of topic experts will evaluate every submission for potential to scale. The 50 best ideas will be selected and awarded a prize, up to $4,000. The top 12 ideas will have the option to execute a full experiment for a feasibility study, with a $50,000 grant.

Given the diversity of potential solutions, evaluation criteria are designed to be inclusive and adaptable to different types of proposals, including potential impact and interdisciplinary approaches.

Eligibility

The Innovation Prize is open to individuals (group submissions must designate a project lead) or non-profit institutions (including non-profit academic organizations). While we welcome ideas and solutions from for-profit companies, it is important to note that although these solutions may be selected and promoted as winners, these entities are ineligible to receive grant awards.

Please be aware that some country restrictions apply due to regulatory and legal constraints. Applicants are advised to check if their country of residence or operation is eligible for participation in the GHG Removal Ideation Prize.

Contact

Contact us at ideas@experiment.com for any questions or more information.