Environmental data is increasingly available across Europe. From air quality measurements to weather observations, cities and institutions collect vast amounts of information every day. Yet, despite this growing availability, much of this data remains fragmented, difficult to access and challenging to use in practice, especially when data from citizen science and low-cost sensors are involved.
The CitiObs Decision Support System (DSS), developed by DRAXIS, has been designed to address this challenge by offering a more accessible, integrated, and user-friendly way to explore environmental data and support informed decision-making.
From fragmented information to a shared view of the environment
The CitiObs DSS provides a single-entry point to environmental observations from different sources across Europe, including data produced by citizen observatories. By bringing these datasets together through open standards, the platform supports a more transparent and participatory approach to environmental monitoring.
Its overarching goal is to strengthen evidence-based decision-making by helping users better understand environmental conditions at both local and wider geographical scales.
A tool for a wide and diverse audience
The CitiObs DSS is freely accessible and designed for a broad audience. Citizens and local communities can use it to monitor environmental conditions in their neighbourhoods and stay informed about issues that affect their daily lives. Researchers and academics can benefit from easy access to multi-source environmental data, while municipal and regional authorities can rely on the platform to support policy development and environmental action. Civil society organisations, developers, and data scientists can also explore and reuse the data for analysis, advocacy or innovation. Throughout the platform, usability and clarity are prioritised, ensuring that non-specialist users can engage with the information without technical barriers.
Accessible and real-time environmental data
The platform consumes data directly from SensorThings API servers, an open standard developed by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC), ensuring interoperability across different data providers. Through this setup, the CitiObs DSS brings together a range of environmental data, including meteorological parameters such as temperature and humidity, as well as air quality indicators like PM2.5, PM10 and NOā. All observations are time-stamped and linked to station metadata, such as location and data provider.
Users can explore an interactive map displaying available monitoring stations, view colour-coded representations of the latest measurements, and access detailed information for each location, including recent observations. Historical data can be examined through time-series graphs, allowing users to identify trends and changes over time. This visual and interactive approach helps transform raw measurements into meaningful insights.
The CitiObs DSS is not a closed or proprietary data platform. It operates entirely on open standards and integrates citizen science data alongside other sources. Access is simple, and no specialised technical knowledge is required to explore the data. By offering a unified experience for environmental data from different countries and providers, the platform supports comparability, reuse and collaboration across Europe.
Through its ability to turn fragmented environmental data into accessible and understandable information, the CitiObs Decision Support System helps bridge the gap between data collection and action, empowering citizens, supporting public authorities and contributing to more informed and participatory environmental governance.
