Empowering Urban Transformation: The Role of Citizen Observatories in Inclusive and Data-Driven Governance

Kozlowska, Anna and Vuckovic, Milena and Khan, Zaheer and Gebetsroither-Geringer, Ernst and Covato, Elisa and Martens, Sjors and López-de-Ipiña González-de-Artaza, Diego and Peters-Anders, Jan (2025) Empowering Urban Transformation: The Role of Citizen Observatories in Inclusive and Data-Driven Governance. URBAN INNOVATION: TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO CITIES HAVE GONE BEFORE. Medium sized cities and towns as a major arena of global urbanisation. Proceedings of REAL CORP 2025, 30th Intl. Conference on Urban Development, Regional Planning and Information Society. pp. 343-354. ISSN 2521-3938

Text (Empowering Urban Transformation: The Role of Citizen Observatories in Inclusive and Data-Driven Governance) CORP2025_35.pdf - Published Version Download (465kB)

Abstract

This paper explores how Citizen Observatories can foster participatory, data-driven governance by actively engaging local communities in co-creating urban knowledge and contributing to evidence-based decision-making processes. Within the EU-funded Innovation Action GREENGAGE (HORIZON 2020), five innovative Citizen Observatories have been established as dynamic ecosystems where technology, citizen science, and policy intersect. These ecosystems empower local communities through interactive socio-technical methodologies and tools, enabling them to monitor environmental conditions, share insights, and collaboratively develop solutions to pressing urban issues. Hence, the creation of Citizen Observatories requires a strong focus on two dimensions: social (socio-economic and political context) and technical (digital tools and platforms). By bringing together citizens, scientists, policymakers, and other stakeholders, GREENGAGE harnesses collective knowledge and expertise to co-create sustainable solutions. In GREENGAGE, Citizen Observatories are located in diverse geographical and social contexts: Bristol (UK), North Brabant (NL), Copenhagen (DK), Turano Valley (IT) and Gerace (IT). This paper highlights initial implementations carried out in these Observatories where local communities, further supported by the consortium members, were provided with skills for collecting valuable, community-sourced data from their neighborhoods using the provided tools. Citizens are involved as Citizen Observers throughout the onboarding, training, and implementation phases, contributing to environmental monitoring and urban planning. The data that is currently being gathered will help directly address local urban challenges that are identified as the most critical by these communities, helping to resolve issues that resonate with local needs and concerns. Furthermore, the paper also illustrates how such initiatives have the potential to not only contribute to healthier, more sustainable urban environments but also foster a culture of participatory governance, where citizens are co-creators of the cities they inhabit.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Citizen Observatories; Urban Governance; Sustainable Urban Development; Data-Driven approaches; Community Engagement
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HM Sociology J Political Science > JS Local government Municipal government T Technology > T Technology (General)
Depositing User:	The CORP Team
Date Deposited:	25 May 2025 15:20
Last Modified:	07 Jul 2025 10:06
URI:	http://repository.corp.at/id/eprint/1230

Actions (login required)

View Item