Empowering Communities: Lessons from LIFE CRITICAL’s Citizen Science Approach
Community engagement is a cornerstone of effective climate adaptation strategies. By involving residents in meaningful ways, cities can gather valuable data, foster a sense of ownership, and enhance public awareness of the challenges and opportunities in building climate resilience. This holistic approach ensures that adaptation efforts not only address environmental needs but also reflect the lived experiences and priorities of the community.
The LIFE CRITICAL project has demonstrated how citizen science can play a transformative role in climate adaptation. By empowering residents to co-create their environment, the project builds trust between citizens and local governments, inspiring a shared commitment to meaningful change. This collaboration creates a platform for residents to see the tangible impact of their contributions while driving more inclusive and effective solutions.
We’ve compiled these lessons into two resources – a case study on the work in Dordrecht and a guidebook to replication. Our guidance outlines the following best practices for integrating community engagement and citizen science into climate adaptation projects:
Customise the approach
Engagement strategies and methods must be tailored to the specific context, demographics, and goals of the project. Consider and assess all factors that could influence the structure of engagement, such as neighbourhood characteristics, the type of climate adaptation measures being implemented, and the desired outcomes.Seek expertise
Citizen science is unique to general community participation, so it is essential to involve individuals and/ or organisations with the right experience. This support is needed to guide and advise participants about measurements and observations.Consider an intermediary role
Intermediaries can be powerful partners to help establish trust and collaboration between citizens and local authorities. This neutral perspective can avoid the pitfall of focusing on past failures, as they had not been involved in past municipal work, and so can focus on building an open and constructive dialogue. If possible, explore intermediaries to support governmental citizen science initiatives.Collaborate and learn from others
Look to other cities or organisations that have done similar work for inspiration. Engage with these entities to share experience, knowledge, and best practices to learn from both failed and successful approaches, building on the field’s existing expertise.Ensure data utility and feedback
Collect data through citizen science that is genuinely useful and will be used in decision-making processes. Inform participants about how their data will be used and update them regularly on the project’s progress to keep citizens engaged. Neglecting to use citizen inputs and to share updates can lead to participants feeling deceived by the initiative and undermine their commitment.Manage expectations
Be transparent and clear about the purpose of the citizen science initiative from the very beginning of engagement. Highlight the important contributions of this work to answering specific questions or addressing climate adaptation challenges. Managing expectations and being open about the project’s intentions from the outset can help build lasting trust and avoid later disappointment.
Curious to read more? For in-depth analysis, check out our case study on Dordrecht, and for practical steps, explore our guidebook!