These days, there's a growing emphasis on evidence-based decision-making in European policies, and it's clear that data collected by citizens can play a huge part in this. Despite the potential, citizen-generated data isn’t always used as effectively as it could be, mainly because of some social and technical challenges. For example, not everyone has the same access to technology, and sometimes there's skepticism about the reliability of data collected by ordinary people. On top of that, the lack of standardization and interoperability often makes it difficult for policymakers to utilize this data properly.
This is where Citizen Observatories (COs) come in. They’re a fantastic way to involve people directly in gathering data and monitoring what's going on around them. By doing this, COs help bridge the gap between communities and those who make decisions, providing local, real-time data that can lead to more responsive and informed policies. Take air quality monitoring, for example—COs enable residents to track pollution levels in their neighborhoods, creating valuable data that complements what’s gathered by official sources.
What’s exciting about COs is that they go beyond just data collection; they actively engage people in citizen science. This approach encourages communities to play a direct role in monitoring the environment and shaping policies that affect them. COs stand out because they make data collection more inclusive and representative of what's really happening at the local level, rather than relying solely on centralized data-gathering methods. By getting more people involved, COs help ensure that the resulting policies are based on diverse perspectives, which also builds greater public trust in decision-making.
This is where CitiObs steps in. Our aim is to strengthen the role of Citizen Observatories and citizen-led initiatives across Europe by providing the support, tools, and resources they need to expand their impact. Through mentoring sessions and collaborative workshops, CitiObs helps COs utilize citizen-generated data to address various challenges and encourages them to be part of a broader evidence-based policy process. By fostering connections between COs, public authorities, and civil society, CitiObs makes sure that the insights from citizen-generated data find their way into meaningful policy actions.
Figure 1. CitiObs Alliance Cases Timeline: https://citiobs.eu/demonstrations-open-call-for-alliances/
We’re excited to announce an Open Call for Citizen Science Initiatives & Citizen Observatories across Europe to join CitiObs as Alliance Cases. This is a fantastic opportunity for existing COs and citizen-led initiatives to collaborate with us, scale up their activities, and share best practices. Selected Alliance Cases will receive tailored support, including technical assistance, mentoring, and access to a wide network of experts and stakeholders. If your project focuses on air quality, biodiversity, urban sustainability, or related topics, we’d love to have you on board!
As an Alliance Case, you'll start with an onboarding session to get to know the CitiObs team and our resources. Throughout this journey, you'll have access to webinars and workshops that will help you effectively implement CitiObs tools and methods. There will also be plenty of chances to connect with other Alliance Cases facing similar challenges, allowing you to share knowledge and learn from each other. And that's not all—there's even an in-person study trip where you can gain more hands-on experience.
To top it off, we’ll connect you with a broader network of Communities of Practice, FabLabs, Maker Spaces, and other creative communities. You'll also receive open-hardware sensors for monitoring air quality, noise, and temperature, and you’ll be able to link your data to our data hub, taking advantage of our data validation and mapping tools.
We’re eager to support COs with the resources and networks that can help them make a bigger impact. If you’re a Citizen Observatory or a Citizen Science Initiative in Europe, don’t miss this chance to apply to our Open Call and join CitiObs Alliance!
