Leveraging Technology for Improved Environmental Stewardship
At a time when technology is more critical than ever in meeting the climate, resilience, water, conservation, and justice priorities of the country, its adoption and deployment in environmental agencies lags behind progress made in the private sector, at other agencies and the federal government as a whole. We need to modernize.
To successfully pursue an ambitious environmental agenda, the federal government needs to significantly rethink how to build, manage, and partner with the technology that supports environmental stewardship. We do not have the time to spare for inefficient and expensive manual processes to address the scale of challenges we face. We are establishing a community of practice, building political will and developing recommendations that can overcome barriers to leveraging technology for environmental applications.
Our Initiatives
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Digital Service for the Planet
We need a “Digital Service for the Planet” for environmental agencies to become better buyers, partners, and consumers of the technology and innovations that are necessary to support the country’s conservation, water and stewardship priorities.
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Water Data Prize to Spur Innovation
The 2021 Water Data Prize aims to spur the development of innovative ideas and best practices in visual and effective communications for water utilities to meet new state and federal regulations on toxic lead water pipes and communicate risk to customers. We have now hosted two Water Data Prizes, with the first one focused on quality drinking reports.
See ideas and recommendations for what you can implement in your city’s lead-free journey.
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Data to Bolster Environmental Justice
Understanding that environmental justice exists at the intersection of environmentalism and structural racism, we are committed to using data to bridge the digital infrastructure gap between overburdened communities and access to lasting, equitable forms of climate and environmental relief. We support initiatives to empower community engagement and use of best-available data to overcome environmental justice issues.
Explore technological barriers to environmental justice, the principles that ground our work, and our projects and initiatives below.
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New Data: Water Utility Boundaries
We shouldn’t have to wonder “Who is responsible for my water?” We should know.
In collaboration with SimpleLab, the Internet of Water Coalition, and through dialogue with over 100 academic, nonprofit, for-profit, and government partners, we created the first comprehensive national dataset of drinking water service area boundaries. This data can help to improve the design and implementation of water and climate programs at the federal, state, and community level.
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Expanding Conservation Data Technology
Today we have more opportunities to quantify and manage our impacts on the environment through data technology than ever before. We work on researching how data can help us advance environmental markets through better use of metrics and measurement, and we support policies that incorporate data technology to keep practices cheaper and more streamlined. We collaborate with city and state governments, industry associations and nonprofit organizations to understand what’s working and where gaps exist that could be filled with data applications.
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Improving Processes to Drive Innovation
Accelerating the use of higher quality data and technology at environmental agencies requires adjusting current procurement policies and processes. Our initiative aims to identify and advance procurement policies and processes, and facilitate partnerships that streamline how agencies buy, build, and manage the technology that supports environmental stewardship.
Publications
