Cities use WhatsApp to fight climate change

The widely popular smartphone messaging service WhatsApp is no longer just being used to keep in touch with family or friends, it has become a tool to battle corruption, save lives, spread news and now, combat climate change, with C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group using the mobile app to connect its city networks.

“The ability to connect populations internationally makes WhatsApp a perfect tool for C40, where we strive to keep megacities around the world connected to each other through our city networks,” said Terri Wills, C40’s Director of Global Initiatives. “As it turns out, WhatsApp is even more accessible than other technologies, particularly for C40 cities in emerging economies that still struggle with Internet connectivity. WhatsApp helps officials in those cities connect with their city peers even when low connectivity and time zone differences prevent other, more traditional methods of communication.”

If WhatsApp were a country, it would be the third largest in the world based on the number of active users, and according to recent estimates, users are sharing more than 700 million photos and 100 million videos every day on the service, which has grown fastest in countries like Brazil, India, Mexico, and Russia.

C40 first started using WhatsApp to engage with city officials during a waste conference in Indonesia. After receiving quick responses from those officials, its potential to connect cities in new ways was realised. C40 decided to create a C40 Waste WhatsApp Group to drive discussions around reductions of GHG emissions through solid waste management systems, and soon six cities joined, all from emerging economies.

“A chat group on WhatsApp isn’t bound to any time restrictions, and members can engage when they are available,” added Wills. “We’ve found that participating city officials message each other frequently, creating a steady stream of ideas and topics that spurs healthy debate. C40 staff from our Solid Waste Management Initiative moderate the group and also use the platform to announce and organise upcoming webinars and conferences.”

Since the new group launched in June 2014, city officials from Dar es Salaam, Delhi, Dhaka, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Nairobi, and Rio de Janeiro have been sharing challenges around waste management issues, from road sweeping and landfill site remediation to transfer centres and disposal facilities. Most importantly, they are discussing potential solutions, all via instant message.