ScienceUs Citizen Science Network
CROPS – Curating, Replicating, Orchestrating, and Propagating Citizen Science across Europe
The CROPS vision is that the next generation of citizen science activities fully realises its potential at a transnational level, with shared objectives targeted towards EU Mission goals. CROPS will support the realisation of this vision, through establishing innovative, inclusive and representative mechanisms and associated communities and societal coalitions for the upscaling of citizen science activities. The lessons learnt through this process and the resources developed will contribute towards Horizon Europe’s ambition to maximise the impact of EU research and innovation funding for European science, economy and the wider society.
CROPS – Curating, Replicating, Orchestrating, and Propagating Citizen Science across Europe
The CROPS vision is that the next generation of citizen science activities fully realises its potential at a transnational level, with shared objectives targeted towards EU Mission goals. CROPS will support the realisation of this vision, through establishing innovative, inclusive and representative mechanisms and associated communities and societal coalitions for the upscaling of citizen science activities. The lessons learnt through this process and the resources developed will contribute towards Horizon Europe’s ambition to maximise the impact of EU research and innovation funding for European science, economy and the wider society.
Fundación Vida Sostenible
Fundación Vida Sostenible is a Spanish non-profit organization that promotes responsible lifestyles that benefit both people’s health and the environment. The foundation supports the transition towards sustainability by providing practical tools and resources, disseminating knowledge on low-impact living, and developing projects that generate positive environmental awareness and change.
The citizen science project “For Another Diet, Youth in Action!” engages and empowers young people to advocate for sustainable, resilient, and territorialized food systems as a response to climate change. Through a Participatory Action Research (PAR) process, volunteer groups investigate agroecological food production, distribution, and consumption in their regions, while designing and implementing environmental education initiatives that promote more sustainable food practices.
Fundación Vida Sostenible
Fundación Vida Sostenible is a Spanish non-profit organization that promotes responsible lifestyles that benefit both people’s health and the environment. The foundation supports the transition towards sustainability by providing practical tools and resources, disseminating knowledge on low-impact living, and developing projects that generate positive environmental awareness and change.
The citizen science project “For Another Diet, Youth in Action!” engages and empowers young people to advocate for sustainable, resilient, and territorialized food systems as a response to climate change. Through a Participatory Action Research (PAR) process, volunteer groups investigate agroecological food production, distribution, and consumption in their regions, while designing and implementing environmental education initiatives that promote more sustainable food practices.
Strop de Aer & ClujCitySense
Strop de Aer (Drop of Air) is a citizen science initiative that empowers communities, schools, and local stakeholders to monitor environmental quality through open-source technologies and low-cost sensors. Since its launch, the project has supported the deployment of more than 200 community-operated sensors across Romania, measuring air quality, noise, temperature, humidity, and other environmental indicators. The initiative combines environmental education, scientific literacy, community engagement, and open data to help citizens better understand the environmental challenges affecting their daily lives.
ClujCitySense (CitiOBS) is a local citizen science project developed within the city of Cluj-Napoca (Romania), focused on creating a community-driven environmental monitoring network. Through a combination of fixed and mobile sensors, the project collects real-time information on air pollution, urban noise, temperature, humidity, light, and other urban environmental parameters. Citizens, students, researchers, and local organizations collaborate to generate data that supports awareness, education, and evidence-based discussions about urban sustainability, public health, climate adaptation, and quality of life.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate how citizen science, open hardware, open data, and community participation can contribute to a better understanding of environmental conditions and support more sustainable and resilient cities.
Strop de Aer & ClujCitySense
Strop de Aer (Drop of Air) is a citizen science initiative that empowers communities, schools, and local stakeholders to monitor environmental quality through open-source technologies and low-cost sensors. Since its launch, the project has supported the deployment of more than 200 community-operated sensors across Romania, measuring air quality, noise, temperature, humidity, and other environmental indicators. The initiative combines environmental education, scientific literacy, community engagement, and open data to help citizens better understand the environmental challenges affecting their daily lives.
ClujCitySense (CitiOBS) is a local citizen science project developed within the city of Cluj-Napoca (Romania), focused on creating a community-driven environmental monitoring network. Through a combination of fixed and mobile sensors, the project collects real-time information on air pollution, urban noise, temperature, humidity, light, and other urban environmental parameters. Citizens, students, researchers, and local organizations collaborate to generate data that supports awareness, education, and evidence-based discussions about urban sustainability, public health, climate adaptation, and quality of life.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate how citizen science, open hardware, open data, and community participation can contribute to a better understanding of environmental conditions and support more sustainable and resilient cities.
Associació Taxus
Associació Taxus is an NGO created in 2017 by a group of nature lovers in Tarragona province (Catalonia, Spain). We aim to promote nature conservation by conducting research, educating others about the environment, land stewardship, and increasing social awareness about our surrounding nature landscapes. We primarily work on biodiversity projects in Priorat County, such as the ecological advantages of bats as natural pest control in vineyards, the impact of tourism on animal behavior, the diversity of beetles in the northern forests of Montsant, and surveys of diurnal raptors, mesocarnivores, and bats.
Nevertheless, our main project is the “Noctàmbuls” (night owl or nocturnal) project, launched in 2019. This project consists of periodic owl and nightjar species surveys in 3 natural protected areas: Parc Natural de la Serra de Montsant, Espai d’Interès Natural Serra de Llaberia and Paratge Natural d’Interès Nacional de Poblet.
Associació Taxus
Associació Taxus is an NGO created in 2017 by a group of nature lovers in Tarragona province (Catalonia, Spain). We aim to promote nature conservation by conducting research, educating others about the environment, land stewardship, and increasing social awareness about our surrounding nature landscapes. We primarily work on biodiversity projects in Priorat County, such as the ecological advantages of bats as natural pest control in vineyards, the impact of tourism on animal behavior, the diversity of beetles in the northern forests of Montsant, and surveys of diurnal raptors, mesocarnivores, and bats.
Nevertheless, our main project is the “Noctàmbuls” (night owl or nocturnal) project, launched in 2019. This project consists of periodic owl and nightjar species surveys in 3 natural protected areas: Parc Natural de la Serra de Montsant, Espai d’Interès Natural Serra de Llaberia and Paratge Natural d’Interès Nacional de Poblet.
MINDS – Measuring Impact of Norms in climate Disaster Scenarios
MINDS – Measuring Impact of Norms in climate Disaster Scenarios is a citizen science project that explores how communities perceive climate risks and make collective decisions in response to disasters, with a focus on flood scenarios. The project uses structured social games, in particular a Collective Risk Social Dilemma game, to transform participants’ decisions and behaviours into measurable data on cooperation, social norms, and community resilience. Based on recent flood events in Emilia-Romagna, MINDS combines climate science and social behaviour research to better understand how citizens respond to shared risks and how local knowledge can inform climate adaptation strategies. The project aims to provide a replicable framework for engaging communities in participatory climate research and supporting evidence-based adaptation policies.
MINDS – Measuring Impact of Norms in climate Disaster Scenarios
MINDS – Measuring Impact of Norms in climate Disaster Scenarios is a citizen science project that explores how communities perceive climate risks and make collective decisions in response to disasters, with a focus on flood scenarios. The project uses structured social games, in particular a Collective Risk Social Dilemma game, to transform participants’ decisions and behaviours into measurable data on cooperation, social norms, and community resilience. Based on recent flood events in Emilia-Romagna, MINDS combines climate science and social behaviour research to better understand how citizens respond to shared risks and how local knowledge can inform climate adaptation strategies. The project aims to provide a replicable framework for engaging communities in participatory climate research and supporting evidence-based adaptation policies.
Active Mobility Albania
Active Mobility Albania is an NGO working to promote sustainable mobility, cycling culture, road safety, environmental education, and citizen participation in urban and community development in Albania. Through projects, public events, educational activities, and community-based initiatives, we work with children, young people, local institutions, and citizens to encourage more inclusive, safe, and sustainable cities in Albania.
Active Mobility Albania
Active Mobility Albania is an NGO working to promote sustainable mobility, cycling culture, road safety, environmental education, and citizen participation in urban and community development in Albania. Through projects, public events, educational activities, and community-based initiatives, we work with children, young people, local institutions, and citizens to encourage more inclusive, safe, and sustainable cities in Albania.
Demos Lab
Demos Lab is a democratic innovation center dedicated to citizen participation. Through direct participation processes, surveys, social analysis, and reports, we investigate existing social concerns and implement solutions and perspectives that help us both understand and resolve them.
Demos Lab
Demos Lab is a democratic innovation center dedicated to citizen participation. Through direct participation processes, surveys, social analysis, and reports, we investigate existing social concerns and implement solutions and perspectives that help us both understand and resolve them.
Diamonds
In 2021 Diamonds on the Soles of our Feet was a winner at the Falling Walls Engage, Berlin Science Week Summit for breaking down walls between science and society, between rich and poor, academia and ‘real life’ and for being not just a project but a model of development. We started off collecting data about the invisible rivers that run under the ground and that are so important for farming and households, the wells on which so many people in Africa, Asia and elsewhere depend for their water supplies. Since 2021, the model has grown into a youth development programme in remote rural areas, and has formed a 21 School Network in the Narok County, Kenya, working with schools as collaborative ecosystems. What marks Diamonds as being different to many ‘science’ endeavours, is that it is not just about data, data, data – which of course is so very important, – but it’s about fostering a passion for science, using a Learning with the Heart model to empower citizens and fostering a deep connection between humans and their natural environment.
Diamonds
In 2021 Diamonds on the Soles of our Feet was a winner at the Falling Walls Engage, Berlin Science Week Summit for breaking down walls between science and society, between rich and poor, academia and ‘real life’ and for being not just a project but a model of development. We started off collecting data about the invisible rivers that run under the ground and that are so important for farming and households, the wells on which so many people in Africa, Asia and elsewhere depend for their water supplies. Since 2021, the model has grown into a youth development programme in remote rural areas, and has formed a 21 School Network in the Narok County, Kenya, working with schools as collaborative ecosystems. What marks Diamonds as being different to many ‘science’ endeavours, is that it is not just about data, data, data – which of course is so very important, – but it’s about fostering a passion for science, using a Learning with the Heart model to empower citizens and fostering a deep connection between humans and their natural environment.
