Ensuring Long Term Functioning of Citizen Observatories (policy brief)

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What is this about?

The Ensuring Long-Term Functioning of Citizen Observatories policy brief focuses on how Citizen Observatories (COs) community-based networks of citizens collecting data (often environmental) can be set up and sustained effectively over time. It highlights that COs offer a valuable way for citizens to engage directly with science and contribute data that can inform decision-making and policy development at local and broader levels. To thrive in the long term, COs should include clear strategies for open access to data, educational components, democratic public engagement, and ethical practices, along with plans to ensure diversity, inclusivity, and equal representation in participation. The brief recommends well-documented policies and training programmes that support citizen scientists in understanding data collection and use. It also emphasises the need for clear anti-discrimination rules and ethical guidelines that protect confidentiality, research integrity, and inclusivity for all participants, including under-represented groups.

Why is this important?

This brief is important because it provides practical guidance on sustaining Citizen Observatories, which are key mechanisms for embedding citizen science into democratic and environmental governance. Ensuring long-term functioning helps these initiatives continue beyond short-term projects allowing communities to generate reliable data that can influence local policy and improve science-policy links. By focusing on inclusivity, training, open access, and ethics, the recommendations help make COs trustworthy, impactful, and resilient, increasing their potential to contribute to scientific literacy, community empowerment, and evidence-based decision-making.

For whom is this important?

Policymakers and public authoritiesResearch institutions and fundersCitizen science networks and observatoriesCivil society groups and community organisers

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