Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.3390/su13073973
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Citizen science for transformative air quality policy in Germany and Niger
Author Lepenies, R.; Zakari, I.S.
Source Titel Sustainability
Year 2021
Department UPOL
Volume 13
Issue 7
Page From art. 3973
Language englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Keywords citizen science; urban air quality; Sustainable Development Goals; data crowdsourcing; low-cost sensors; air pollution; environmental policy analysis; SDG indicators; statistical analysis; sustainability transformations
Abstract How can citizen science projects advance the achievement of transformative air quality-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Germany and Niger? We investigate the promise of using citizen-generated data (CGD) as an input for official SDG monitoring and implementation in a multidisciplinary project, based on activities undertaken in Niger and Germany ranging from surveys, action research, policy and legislative analysis and environmental monitoring in Niamey and Leipzig, respectively. We critically describe and evaluate the great potential, but very limited actual use of CGD sources for these global goals in both contexts from technical and policy perspectives. Agenda 2030 provides an opportunity to tackle indoor and outdoor air quality in a more integrated and transformative perspective. However, we find this agenda to be remarkably absent in air quality policy and monitoring plans. Likewise, we find no meaningful links of existing citizen science initiatives to official air quality policy. We propose how SDGs-aligned citizen science initiatives could make major contributions to environmental and health monitoring and public debate, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This however requires researchers to more strategically link these initiatives to policymakers and policy frameworks, such as SDG indicators and the governance structures in which they are embedded.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=24409
Lepenies, R., Zakari, I.S. (2021):
Citizen science for transformative air quality policy in Germany and Niger
Sustainability 13 (7), art. 3973 10.3390/su13073973