EGU25-13390, updated on 15 Mar 2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-13390
EGU General Assembly 2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Citizen science in action: air pollution campaigns and thermal comfort assessment from I-CHANGE Day 
Maria-Carmen Llasat1,2, Laura Esbrí1,2, Montserrat Llasat-Botija1,2, Yolanda Sola1, Edson Plasencia1, Carlo Guzzón1, Gert-Jan Steeneveld3, Esther Peerlings3, Bio Mohamadou Torou4, Muhammad Adnan5, Anna Mölter6, Juan Esteban Quintero6, Pinhas Alpert7, Gabriel Campos7, Lara Polo8, Nicola Loglisci8, Carlo Citolesi9, Erika Brattich9, Silvana Di Sabatino9, Antonio Parodi8, and the I-CHNAGE Living Labs teams*
Maria-Carmen Llasat et al.
  • 1Universitat de Barcelona, Faculty of Physics, Department of Applied Physics, Barcelona, Spain (carmell@meteo.ub.edu)
  • 2IDRA, Water Research Institute, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
  • 3Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
  • 4West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
  • 5Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
  • 6University Collage Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
  • 7Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
  • 8CIMA Research Foundation, Savona, Italy
  • 9University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
  • *A full list of authors appears at the end of the abstract

Citizen science has become an essential tool for addressing urban climate challenges, engaging communities, and fostering behavioural change. The I-CHANGE project (Individual Change of HAbits Needed for Green European transition) integrates participatory approaches across eight international Living Labs (LLs) to enhance urban climate resilience and encourage shifts toward sustainable behaviours. As part of this effort, the I-CHANGE Day initiative promoted awareness and action through coordinated citizen-led experiments 

The event featured two major activities: (1) the Air pollution campaign with Smart Citizen Kits (SCKs) and (2) the Temperature and humidity perception experiment. Both activities were co-designed with LL leaders, whose expertise included urban heat, air quality, sociology, and citizen science, ensuring adaptability across diverse socio-cultural contexts. 

The SCK campaign deployed 14 low-cost sensors in five cities (Barcelona, Bologna, Dublin, Genoa, and Ouagadougou) at representative urban locations volunteered by LL participants and stakeholders. These sensors measured air quality parameters, including particulate matter and CO₂ levels, during a common monitoring period. Data were integrated into the I-CHANGE dashboard to foster discussions on air pollution among LL participants. Results highlighted the critical role of urban green spaces in mitigating air pollution, evidenced by lower pollutant levels in these areas. Community involvement was key, with local stakeholders participating in sensor installation and data interpretation workshops. 

The Temperature and Humidity Perception Experiment engaged over 100 participants in seven LLs (Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bologna, Dublin, Genoa, Hasselt, and Jerusalem). Using portable MeteoTracker devices while biking or walking, participants mapped temperature and humidity in their neighbourhoods, recorded thermal comfort perceptions, and identified vulnerable areas. Discrepancies between perceived and measured temperature, particularly in highly urbanized areas, provided valuable insights for urban planning and climate resilience strategies. 

Both activities demonstrated the transformative potential of citizen science for understanding and addressing urban climate risks. By fostering hands-on engagement, I-CHANGE Day not only enhanced climate literacy but also inspired community-driven solutions for sustainable urban living. This initiative underscores the importance of integrating participatory approaches in scientific research to promote collective climate action. 

 

The I-CHANGE project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under grant agreement 101037193. 

I-CHNAGE Living Labs teams:

Teresa Carlone, University of Bologna, Italy; Selene Tondini, University of Bologna, Italy; Ivan Marchesini, National Research Council, Italy

How to cite: Llasat, M.-C., Esbrí, L., Llasat-Botija, M., Sola, Y., Plasencia, E., Guzzón, C., Steeneveld, G.-J., Peerlings, E., Torou, B. M., Adnan, M., Mölter, A., Quintero, J. E., Alpert, P., Campos, G., Polo, L., Loglisci, N., Citolesi, C., Brattich, E., Di Sabatino, S., and Parodi, A. and the I-CHNAGE Living Labs teams: Citizen science in action: air pollution campaigns and thermal comfort assessment from I-CHANGE Day , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-13390, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-13390, 2025.