The I-CHANGE (Individual Change of HAbits Needed for Green European transition, 2021-2025) project promotes the active participation of citizens to address climate change. It engages citizens and local stakeholders to take part in science initiatives and support more sustainable behaviour. To this aim, a set of Living Labs located in very different eight cities of socio-economic contexts (Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bologna, Dublin, Genova, Hasselt, Jerusalem and Ouagadougou), were chosen. The I-CHANGE Living Labs address different environmental issues all employing Meteotrackers (MT) in order to perform high-resolution meteorological measurements.

With recent emergence of new types of near-surface meteorological data that are exploding in their big numbers and cover much higher resolution than classical or World Meteorological Organization (WMO) data, much interest is naturally given to the quality and validation of this crowdsourcing data. The present note focuses on MeteoTracker (in brevity, MT) data collected by citizens walking or biking and travelling.

The present note suggests a practical methodology for operating MTs, along with the suggestion of the potential emergence of a new era in micrometeorological measurements that allows high resolution, both spatial and temporal. Micrometeorology in the sense of obtaining data on the scales of ~1 m, ~1 min and ~0.1 deg for temperature etc. A great challenge in such measurements is that there are a multitude of factors influencing surface observations and it is a complex task to define which factors, as well as their potential synergies, are involved, or just which are dominant. Thus, allowing better understanding of the synergies among several microscale factors. Such factors include, among many others, land cover temporal/spatial variations of agriculture, water, soil moisture, trees, urban area, isolated buildings, as well as topographical variations, solar insolation, cloudiness, aerosols, mesoscale dynamical effects, synoptics.

The basic concept here is that although these new data types are still involved with operation challenges and several error types, the very large amounts of MT data compensate when compared to classical measurements. A few examples, based on many measured days, are demonstrated here.

I-CHANGE is funded by EU Horizon 2020 grant 101037193.

How to cite: Alpert, P., Campos, G., Haikin, N., Rubin, Y., Milelli, M., Parodi, A., and Loglisci, N.: MeteoTrackers (MT) in Citizens Science -A New Era in Micrometeorology or just an Instrument for education?Lessons from MT operations within I-CHANGE EU project , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9596, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9596, 2025.

Ongoing climate change is increasing summertime temperatures, and frequency and intensity of heatwaves in Europe, which can threaten human health. Relatively little is known about how quickly outdoor heat penetrates into residences during heatwaves. Long-term and systematic networks recording indoor temperatures are challenging to install and maintain, and therefore scarce. We first report on crowdsourced indoor air temperature data in residences in Amsterdam (The Netherlands) during a heatwave event in September 2023. These data complement professional long-term indoor air temperature observations in 92 houses in Amsterdam. Second, we document the lessons learnt in the design and execution of this citizen science activity. 571 indoor temperature records were collected through the citizen science crowdsourcing approach, with a median value of 28.0 °C on the warmest day in the study period, while outdoor mean minimum and maximum temperatures reached 20.6 °C and 31.1 °C respectively. The results indicate that the crowdsourcing approach reports temperatures that are significantly higher than the professional approach, which supports the need for professional indoor networks. Finally, local media attention was critical in reaching a wide audience.

How to cite: Steeneveld, G.-J., Peerlings, E., Vranic, S., Ommer, J., and Kalas, M.: Indoor heat in Amsterdam during a heatwave: Comparing observed indoor air temperatures from a professional network and from a citizen science approach, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-10030, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10030, 2025.

How to cite: Kalas, M., Ommer, J., Vranic, S., Adnan, M., Trozzi, C., Polo, L., Brattich, E., Di Sabatino, S., and Parodi, A.:  ChallengeYeti App: Bridging the Knowledge-Action Gap through Gamification and Digital Engagement , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-10503, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10503, 2025.

Urban areas face a wide range of climate-related challenges, including air pollution, waste management, extreme weather events, and the need for sustainable mobility. These challenges demand need to be addressed through tailored (or customised) approaches that account for local socio-economic context and that empower citizens to play an active role in climate adaptation and mitigation actions.

This study compares the outcomes of multiple Living Labs (LLs) operating in diverse socio-economic and environmental contexts across Europe and other regions. Each LL focused on specific urban climate challenges, such as promoting sustainable transportation to reduce emissions or monitoring air quality through participatory science. To better understand what drives individuals to adopt sustainable behaviors, focus groups and surveys were conducted across the LLs. These tools allowed the identification of key factors - be they local or personal - that influence people's willingness to embrace pro-environmental practices.

Results reveal significant variability in how citizens respond to interventions, shaped by local conditions such as infrastructure, cultural factors, and environmental priorities. Across the LLs, the research sought to identify key drivers that encourage individuals to adopt more sustainable behaviors. Such drivers include experiencing climate-induced disasters, enhancing personal competencies, and gaining social approval. Barriers such as limited resources and skepticism toward systemic solutions were also identified and addressed.

This comparative analysis highlights the potential of participatory science not only to collect valuable environmental data but also to act as a catalyst for behavior change. By integrating citizen contributions into localized strategies, the LLs demonstrated how tailored interventions can effectively motivate sustainable practices.

The contribution highlights the critical need to understand the factors that motivate individuals to adopt sustainable behaviors across diverse local contexts. It provides actionable recommendations for designing interventions that empower citizens, reduce climate risks, and foster resilience in urban areas globally.

How to cite: Marchesini, I. and the I-CHANGE D3.7 Team: Comparative Insights from Living Labs: Driving Sustainable Urban Behaviors through Participatory Science, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-4545, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-4545, 2025.

Cities are disproportionately affected by climate change due to their dense populations, concentrated infrastructure, and unique urban microclimates, which can exacerbate climate risks such as heatwaves, air pollution, and flooding. The European Climate Adaptation Strategy emphasises the importance of local-level action, community engagement, and innovative tools to foster resilience. In this context, Our Climate Story - a serious game developed under the H2020 I-CHANGE project - serves as an interactive and educational tool to raise awareness, promote sustainable behaviours, and empower citizens to address urban climate risks collaboratively.

Urban climate risks pose significant threats to public health, particularly for vulnerable populations. This current and future challenge underscores the need for a deeper understanding of local vulnerabilities and susceptibilities, which often go beyond what is captured by traditional data-driven risk mapping. Our Climate Story bridges this gap by combining participatory science methods with storytelling and gaming.

The serious game incorporates participatory mapping, a method that invites players to co-create a visual representation of their city, identifying local hazards such as flood-prone areas, pollution hotspots, and heat islands. This mapping process allows participants to draw on their experiences and local knowledge as well as enhance intergenerational learning. In addition, Our Climate Story encourages participants to brainstorm solutions such as enhancing public transportation or adopting Nature-based Solutions to mitigate hazards. These discussions encourage active involvement, critical thinking, and collaborative decision-making.

The participatory nature of Our Climate Story goes beyond simply raising awareness. It instils a sense of responsibility for the environment by making the impacts of climate change tangible and personal. Players witness how their actions such as choosing sustainable transportation or reducing waste contribute to mitigating climate risks. This approach aligns with the European Union’s goals of promoting greater environmental awareness but also citizen-driven action.

By integrating scientific concepts with interactive gameplay, Our Climate Story demonstrates that addressing urban climate risks requires not only top-down policy interventions but also bottom-up community engagement and co-created solutions. It showcases the potential of participatory science and gamification to bridge the gap between knowledge and action, inspiring both individual and collective efforts to build climate-resilient cities.

How to cite: Ommer, J., Dörr, C., Galizia, A., Fortunati, M., Bertram, C., and Kalas, M.: Our Climate Story: Exploring local climate challenges and solutions through serious gaming, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-10110, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10110, 2025.

The I-CHANGE (Individual Change of HAbits Needed for Green European transition) project is a 3.5-year Innovation Action initiative, funded under the European Union's Horizon 2020 programme, concluding in April 2025. It aims to engage citizens actively in environmental monitoring and climate action, demonstrating that individual behavioral changes, facilitated through citizen science initiatives utilizing sensors and monitoring devices, can significantly reduce environmental footprints. The project establishes Living Labs (LLs) as collaborative spaces where researchers and communities engage in scientific discourse, sharing insights and outcomes.

Central to I-CHANGE is the Environmental Impact Hub (EIH), a comprehensive data infrastructure designed to collect data, provide tools, and support initiatives facilitating citizens to participate in environmental monitoring and action. The EIH is a data hub that effectively shares, manages, and processes diverse datasets, ensuring interoperability and usability of heterogeneous data. It supports machine-to-machine interactions to facilitate the development of desktop and mobile applications through dedicated service interfaces and APIs. The EIH is built of discrete components, including the Data and Information Broker - based on the pre-existing Discovery and Access Broker (DAB) - which facilitates seamless discovery and access to diverse data sources, including in-situ measurements, citizen-provided data, and European infrastructures; the Citizen Observatory Archive which ingests, quality-checks, and stores observations generated by the LLs; the Dashboard which supports visualization of environmental data and empowers citizens to monitor and understand their environmental impact with intuitive and user-friendly interfaces, near real-time analytics, and actionable insights, enabling users to explore the environmental consequences of their actions and track improvements over time. The EIH offers multiple interfaces to support a wide range of use cases and interaction types. These include geospatial interfaces adhering to standards (such as those from OGC and ISO), a Web API for easy web development integration, and a RESTful API for exchanging JSON data across various platforms.

I-CHANGE is predicated on the belief that citizens and civil society play a central role in environmental protection and climate action. As direct involvement of private citizens is considered essential to drive meaningful shifts towards more sustainable behavior, I-CHANGE presents a comprehensive effort to engage citizens in environmental monitoring and action, by providing both advanced technological platforms and participatory Living Labs. The EIH supports this vision by providing the underpinning technical infrastructure. By facilitating access to diverse data and tools, and promoting citizen involvement, I-CHANGE aims to empower individuals to make informed decisions that contribute to environmental sustainability, mitigating environmental challenges, and advancing climate action.

How to cite: Roncella, R., Boldrini, E., Papeschi, F., Mazzetti, P., Smart, S., Hodson, T., Vranic, S., Galizia, A., Loglisci, N., and Parodi, A.: The I-CHANGE Environmental Impact Hub (EIH), EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-10602, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10602, 2025.

The I-CHANGE project aims to demonstrate that individual behavioural change through awareness generated by citizen science activities can ultimately contribute to a collective reduction in environmental footprints. The project, which operates through Living Labs (LLs), has as one of its main challenges to take the learning accumulated in 3.5 years beyond the LLs and reach as many people as possible. To maximise the project's learnings, a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) was developed. Its objectives include enhancing knowledge of: 1) the global context of climate change, 2) critical local climate change issues and related natural hazards in each LL, 3) the significance of behavioural change, and 4) the role of citizen science in climate awareness and action, as well as accessing information produced by I-CHANGE and other open sources of citizen science data. The I-CHANGE MOOC was co-developed collaboratively by project partners and offers concise and practical lessons encapsulating key project learned lessons. 

The methodology for designing the MOOC involved a first scoping meeting, in which a preliminary table of contents was designed and feedback was received from the project partners. The table of contents was shared and improved over several months. The MOOC topics were distributed among the different LLs according to their local climate-change-related hazards, resulting in specific content about heatwaves, air pollution, and flooding authored by renowned academics. The structure of each topic has been designed innovatively, with three short sections covering the three topics: The Science (defining the issue and its causes), The Action Tools (description and utility of the technological tool used to address specific environmental challenges through citizen science) and The Change (specific actions that citizens can take to tackle this problem and successful examples from the project). 

The MOOC was a successful way to summarise key learnings, maximise the media produced in the project, and disseminate some of the dissemination outputs, including animated videos, interviews, a serious game, the Citizens4Climate dashboard, and the YetiApp for calculating environmental footprints. The production of the MOOC took a total of 8 months from the first draft to publishing the course online. Some of the challenges during the process involved synthesising a large amount of information, writing informative yet concise and engaging texts, and making decisions about accessibility and language. Challenges in the dissemination stage are associated with the number of participants expected to be reached. 

The MOOC is hosted on the Thinkific platform and became publicly available on October 24, 2024. Dissemination efforts are ongoing through the project's social media channels and European citizen science portals. To meet project goals, a target audience of 1,000 participants has been established to be monitored using Thinkific analytics. Further work will continue to disseminate the MOOC to various sectors of society. and the international English-speaking audience. 

How to cite: Quintero-Marín, J. E., Mölter, A., Loglisci, N., Polo, L., Adnan, M., Llasat, M. C., Esbrí, L., Barbano, F., Brattich, E., Cintolesi, C., Tondini, S., Carlone, T., Di Sabatino, S., Steeneveldg, G.-J., and Peerlings, E. E. M.: The I-CHANGE MOOC: ensuring cross-fertilisation and knowledge-sharing on citizen science for climate action and risk prevention beyond European Living Labs., EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-12498, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-12498, 2025.

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. 

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.

How to cite: Barbano, F., Brattich, E., Adnan, M., Trozzi, C., Piscitello, E., Vaccaro, R., Cintolesi, C., Parodi, A., and Di Sabatino, S.: Integrated modelling chain for tailored traffic policy interventions, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-11243, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-11243, 2025.

Misinformation and disinformation present significant barriers to addressing climate change and effectively communicating risks. While misinformation refers to false or inaccurate information shared without intent to mislead, disinformation involves deliberately false narratives designed to deceive and manipulate. Both phenomena distort public perception, erode trust in scientific and institutional sources, and delay critical action. When people encounter conflicting or false information, they may struggle to discern credible guidance, making them less likely to act appropriately. Furthermore, both phenomena can polarize public opinion, making collective action more difficult. To counter them, it is essential to provide clear, reliable, and timely information while promoting media literacy.

Effective communication must proactively address false narratives while promoting clear, evidence-based messaging that empowers informed decision-making. The empowerment of citizens' role is closely linked to strengthening citizen resilience against climate change disinformation, which is one of the main focuses of the Adaptation AGORA project. Adaptation AGORA supports the overall objectives of the Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change by advancing best practices, innovative approaches, policy instruments and governance mechanisms. These efforts aim to effectively engage communities and regions in climate actions, accelerating and upscaling adaptation processes for building a climate resilient Europe.

In this framework, the project developed a "Digital AGORA", as an integrated discussion and learning space, a living environment co-designed with stakeholders. This resource hub hosts two “Digital Academies” to support citizens and stakeholders to access open-source climate data for adaptation and tackle climate change disinformation.

The AGORA Digital Academy against Climate Change Disinformation is designed to equip participants with reliable, fact-checked data and information from credible sources, enhancing their critical thinking and their ability to counter misleading narratives. Furthermore, the project has been developing a mobile app to tackle climate disinformation. The gamified mobile app aims to support the education of citizens on climate change adaptation and counter disinformation campaigns through an entertaining and engaging approach. The app will be officially released in April 2025. 

The Academy emphasizes improving media literacy and critical thinking skills among citizens, policymakers, and other stakeholders. Through interactive training modules and educational materials, participants gain the tools needed to identify and address the spread of disinformation. Using interactive tools, workshops, and adaptable communication frameworks, they are equipped to apply these skills in their own communities, ensuring that solutions are both actionable and relevant.

This presentation will focus on the AGORA Digital Academy against Climate Change Disinformation as a case study, illustrating its efforts to tackle the growing challenge of disinformation. Drawing on experiences from pilot regions, it will explore effective practices and key takeaways, with a focus on challenges such as cognitive biases, the role of media and enhancing media literacy, and socio-political dynamics.

By emphasizing inclusivity and collaborative approaches, the Adaptation AGORA project demonstrates the power of community engagement in combating misinformation. This session will present innovative tools and methods developed by the AGORA team to support informed decision-making and build resilience against climate disinformation.

How to cite: Milelli, M., Mercogliano, P., Reder, A., Acierno, A., Mattera, M., Adinolfi, M., Ellena, M., Mele, A., Barba, J., Markou, S., and Doulgerakis, A.: Digital tools for capacity building, a tangible support for citizens to tackle climate disinformation and be more resilient, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-21125, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-21125, 2025.