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Co-creation Sessions 

The co-creation process for the Citizen Science (CS) Toolkit involved three main sessions, each designed to gather insights and contributions from various stakeholders to enhance the toolkit's development and application in climate assemblies. 

Living Lab Sessions at Ebre Bioterritori: 

• Session I - Citizen Science: This session focused on providing participants with basic knowledge about citizen science and engaging them in hands-on activities with projects like Natusfera and BiciZen. The goal was to ensure a consistent understanding among participants and to explore the practical application of citizen science projects. They evaluated the accessibility, inclusivity, and potential impact of these projects on climate assemblies. 

• Session II - Climate Assemblies: This session reviewed the dimensions of citizen science projects and introduced the concept of citizen climate assemblies. Participants discussed how citizen science could be integrated into the different phases of climate assemblies. They explored the role of citizen science in framing issues, sharing knowledge, and monitoring policy implementation. 

European Citizen Science Association (ECSA) Conference 2024: 

• This session focused on integrating citizen science into climate assemblies. Participants, including international citizen science researchers and practitioners, discussed the potential of citizen science to enhance deliberative democracy. They identified specific activities and projects that could be incorporated into each phase of the assemblies. 

Value Proposition of the Co-creation Process 

The co-creation process highlighted several key value propositions for integrating citizen science into climate assemblies: 

1. Framing and Organisation Phase: 

   • Problem Identification: Citizen science projects can help identify local environmental issues and social concerns, providing valuable data for selecting topics for climate assemblies. 

   • Community Engagement: Engaging local citizen science communities – citizen science associations, citizen observatories – and projects can ensure that the assemblies address relevant and pressing issues with support of the community. 

2. Learning: 

   • Knowledge Sharing: Citizen scientists and practitioners can share their experiential knowledge, enriching the assembly participants' understanding and fostering collective intelligence. 

   • Inspirational Engagement: Involving citizen scientists can inspire and empower participants, enhancing their engagement and participation in the assembly. 

3. Deliberation and Recommendations: 

   • Data-Driven Discussions: Data collected through citizen science projects can inform and reinforce the deliberation process, providing evidence-based insights for decision-making. 

   • Collaborative Analysis: Participants can engage in collaborative analysis of citizen-generated data, enhancing the credibility and acceptance of the recommendations. 

4. Follow-up: 

   • Monitoring and Evaluation: Citizen science can play a crucial role in monitoring the implementation and impact of policies, providing ongoing data to assess the effectiveness of the measures. 

   • Sustained Engagement: Establishing citizen observatories or new projects can maintain community involvement and ensure continuous monitoring and feedback. 

The co-creation process demonstrated that citizen science could significantly enhance the effectiveness and legitimacy of climate assemblies by providing bottom-up, reliable data and fostering active community participation. 

Examples of Citizen Science projects in Climate Assemblies 

• Natusfera Project 

Description: Natusfera is the Spanish version of iNaturalist, an online social network where people share information about biodiversity. It connects people with nature and provides valuable open data for research projects. 

Application in Climate Assemblies: In the learning phase, participants can use Natusfera to collect data on local biodiversity. This data can be analyzed and presented during the deliberation phase to highlight the impact of climate change on local ecosystems. For example, participants can document the presence of invasive species and discuss mitigation strategies. 

• BiciZen Project 

Description: BiciZen is a collaborative platform that aims to improve urban cycling infrastructure. Users can share data about bike parking, thefts, safety, and other cycling-related issues. 

Application in Climate Assemblies: During the framing phase, BiciZen can be used to identify mobility issues in urban areas. Participants can use the data to propose improvements to cycling infrastructure, promoting sustainable transportation. In the follow-up phase, the platform can monitor the effectiveness of implemented policies. 

• MosquitoAlert 

Description: MosquitoAlert is a citizen science project that tracks the presence of disease-carrying mosquitoes. Participants report sightings and breeding sites using a mobile app. 

Application in Climate Assemblies: In the learning phase, MosquitoAlert can be used to educate participants about the health impacts of climate change. Data collected can inform discussions on public health strategies and vector control measures. The project can also be used in the follow-up phase to monitor the effectiveness of implemented health policies.