The I-CHANGE project addresses the critical challenges posed by climate change, focusing on active citizen participation and the enhancement of public awareness through evidence-based methodologies. This paper presents the key achievements of the project, which include the organization of diverse community-oriented initiatives aimed at fostering environmental awareness, the deployment and testing of advanced environmental monitoring sensors, and the development of cutting-edge digital tools, such as an interactive dashboard and the ChallengeYeti mobile application. Additionally, the project analyzed extensive data collected through awareness raising campaigns with surveys on individual environmental behaviour, offering valuable insights into the drivers of environmental consciousness. The results underline a significant increase in awareness levels among participants, the effectiveness of technological solutions in promoting engagement, and the relevance of comprehensive data analysis in understanding and addressing climate-related challenges. I-CHANGE proposes a scalable and replicable model that combines technological innovation and inclusive citizen engagement to support climate adaptation and mitigation efforts.
How to cite: Parodi, A., Loglisci, N., Milelli, M., Di Sabatino, S., Brattich, E., Carlone, T., Cintolesi, C., Alpert, P., Campos, G., Rubin, Y., Mazzetti, P., Galizia, A., Marchesini, I., Molter, A., D'Arcy, G., Quintero-Marín, J. E., Llasat, M. C., Esbri, L., Steeneveld, G.-J., and Peerlings, E. and the I-CHANGE Team: Fostering Environmental Awareness Through Innovation: Outcomes from the I-CHANGE Project, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9057, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9057, 2025.
As urban areas face increasing threats from climate change, citizen science has emerged as an important tool to engage communities in monitoring and responding to environmental challenges, thus filling in the gap which existing tools are not addressing appropriately. Citizen science initiatives are essential for engaging citizens in climate action, involving them in environmental observations and monitoring human impacts. These participatory initiatives between science and society have gained popularity across various fields, including sociology, astronomy, and environmental protection. By involving students, citizens, and stakeholders, these initiatives foster a sense of ownership and empowerment, encouraging continued engagement and collaboration.
This paper introduces a dashboard developed within the Horizon 2020 project I-CHANGE, designed to involve citizens in the collection and analysis of environmental data. The dashboard empowers urban residents to use low-cost sensors and crowdsourced observations to gather vital information on air quality and climate variables. Co-designed with scientists and stakeholders, the dashboard provides an intuitive platform for citizens to view, understand, and interpret complex collected data. By presenting crowdsourced data in a meaningful manner, the dashboard bridges the knowledge-action gap, fostering greater public awareness and environmental consciousness. Such participatory approach increases the level of understanding of urban climate risks and strengthens adaptation strategies by integrating local insights and vulnerabilities.
Through the active involvement of citizens in data collection, the dashboard promotes hands-on experience with the real effects of climate change, leading to increased awareness and climate-friendly behaviours. This engagement is essential for achieving climate mitigation goals and advancing Europe's climate adaptation strategies. The paper discusses the design, implementation, and data integration of the dashboard, highlighting its role in combating misinformation and supporting community-driven climate action.
How to cite: Vranic, S., Ommer, J., Kalas, M., Mazzetti, P., Galizia, A., Parodi, A., Roncella, R., Boldrini, E., and Smart, S.: The I-CHANGE Dashboard: A tool for raising awareness and triggering behavioural change, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9681, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9681, 2025.
Urban areas, increasingly exposed to climate change, demand innovative strategies for public engagement and adaptive behavior. This research investigates the drivers and barriers influencing sustainable behaviors among young people in Chiavari, Italy, a climate-vulnerable city frequently impacted by extreme weather events such as floods and wildfires. Utilizing the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behavior (COM-B) model, this study sheds light on the personal, social, and contextual factors shaping pro-environmental behaviors, offering a framework for participatory science to address urban climate challenges.
Quantitative surveys and focus groups involving over 470 secondary students (ages 15–17) and 117 young adults (ages 18–35) reveal distinct patterns of awareness, motivation, and behavioral change. A critical finding is the role of lived experience: young adults, many of whom experienced Chiavari’s severe flash floods in 2002 and 2014 or nearby wildfires, exhibit heightened sensitivity and awareness compared to students, who were too young to remember or directly experience these events. This suggests that direct exposure to extreme weather events significantly enhances motivation and fosters a deeper understanding of the importance of sustainable behaviors. "Capability" (knowledge and skills) emerges as the cornerstone for fostering motivation, while substantial barriers—including limited educational integration, insufficient resources, and inadequate community infrastructure—hinder the translation of awareness into impactful actions.
The research highlights the value of participatory tools in bridging knowledge-action gaps. School-driven discussions, citizen science projects, and locally contextualized interventions emerge as critical avenues for empowering youth. Focus group insights reveal that perceived social disapproval, the absence of practical tools, and skepticism about systemic effectiveness (e.g., EU climate goals) further challenge sustainable behavior adoption. However, nearly 70% of students express readiness to adopt sustainable mobility options, such as public transportation and cycling, underscoring their potential as agents of change in climate-resilient urban planning.
Findings advocate for participatory science to elevate awareness and foster local climate adaptation. This approach integrates simple yet effective community tools and data-driven insights to create actionable interventions. The COM-B framework proves instrumental in identifying leverage points, such as linking extreme event experiences (floods and wildfires) to awareness campaigns or targeting reflective motivations to enhance community engagement. Moreover, the research suggests that localized interventions incorporating cultural and socio-economic nuances significantly enhance the efficacy of sustainable behavior programs.
How to cite: Sterlacchini, S., Voltolina, D., Mezzacapo, U., Gencarelli, C. N., Esposito, G., Mondini, A., Salvati, P., Tondini, S., Carlone, T., Sarretta, A., Galizia, A., and Marchesini, I.: Drivers and Barriers to Sustainable Behaviors Among Youth in Climate-Vulnerable Urban Areas: Insights from Chiavari, Italy, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-11392, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-11392, 2025.
Urban areas and their populations across Europe are increasingly dealing with climate change effects, including increased risks of flooding, rising sea levels, heatwaves and more severe storms, which disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. Urbanization further amplifies these effects by significantly altering landscapes and influencing local atmospheric conditions. Addressing these complex dynamics requires a comprehensive understanding of the intricate interplay between urbanization and climate change. Sustainable solutions must integrate climate considerations and resilience measures into urban planning, ensuring cities can adapt to the evolving environmental pressures.
Adaptation AGORA project engages citizens through participatory methodologies and co-creation strategies to foster, among others, urban climate adaptation initiatives and resilience. By enhancing knowledge and raising awareness among planners, policymakers, and stakeholders, it becomes possible to integrate climate-responsive strategies into the planning process of climate-resilient infrastructure.
Recently in a peer-to-peer learning exchange event, Malmö (pilot city within Adaptation AGORA) and Valencia (one of the project’s Followers), have shared challenges, tools and practices aimed at addressing heat vulnerability and fostering the engagement of vulnerable communities in heatwaves preparedness and response. These initiatives have explored strategies to reduce the impacts of extreme heat, especially on vulnerable populations. Cities need to embed heat adaptation into urban infrastructure and planning, including among others low-tech cooling solutions, and upscaling cooling shelters. By sharing insights and learning from one another, cities like Malmö and Valencia are paving the way for equitable and innovative approaches to urban heat resilience. Their experiences underscore the importance of cross-sector collaboration and community participation in tackling the climate challenges of the future.
In Rome, another AGORA pilot city, citizens joined the consultation process of the City’s climate adaptation strategy, offering their contribution to the development of the plan. This participatory approach incorporated community insights and needs into local vulnerabilities, enhancing the relevance and impact of proposed measures. Workshops, focus groups, and collaborative discussions in Rome fostered a deeper understanding of urban climate challenges and empowered communities to play an active role in shaping adaptation solutions.
This presentation will highlight AGORA’s participatory approach to addressing urban climate risks, with a focus on pilot initiatives and community engagement in adaptation planning. It will explore and discuss best practices for involving communities in sustainable adaptation strategies.
How to cite: Biondi, R., Reder, A., Mercogliano, P., Acierno, A., Mattera, M., Adinolfi, M., Ellena, M., and Mele, A.: A cross European participatory approach to addressing urban climate risks, lessons learned from the Adaptation AGORA’s pilot regions, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-21112, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-21112, 2025.
Effective citizen engagement is pivotal in driving successful climate change adaptation efforts. This study is part of the Mission Adaptation AGORA project (A Gathering place to cO-design and co-cReate Adaptation), which aims to strengthen citizen engagement in climate adaptation by developing innovative methodologies and frameworks that enhance public participation. By focusing on co-creation and knowledge-sharing, AGORA supports the development of climate-resilient communities through the integration of diverse perspectives and local insights. Here, we present the results of our efforts to synthesize findings from two years of research – including expert surveys, interviews, and peer-learning workshops – to identify best practices and challenges in citizen engagement initiatives (CEIs). Our analysis, which covers a wide variety of participatory approaches to citizen engagement, highlights the necessity of a few universal principles to follow in order to foster effective participation. These include setting clear objectives, investing in tailored communication strategies, taking goal-dependent design choices, and the mindful consideration and involvement of the different actors involved in all stages of preparing, carrying out and participating in the CEI. Additionally, the study underscores the importance of understanding contextual factors, such as local socio-economic conditions or the familiarity of the local political system with deliberative democratic processes, when designing and implementing impactful CEIs. Despite good intentions and intensive research and hands-on experience attempting to overcome them, we find that persistent challenges remain, particularly in reaching marginalized groups and translating engagement outcomes into policy actions.
Our recommendations stemming from this study aim to provide adaptable engagement frameworks that strengthen democratic processes, inclusivity, and climate resilience, offering practical guidance for policymakers and practitioners seeking to engage citizens in the field of climate adaptation. By creating tailored guidance depending on the intended goal and context, we hope to inform design choices of a wide range of citizen engagement approaches, ranging from awareness raising and ideation, to citizen science and knowledge co-production, to shared decision making for climate adaptation action.
How to cite: Baulenas, E. and Pickard, S.: Best Practices for Citizen Engagement in Climate Change Adaptation, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-17092, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-17092, 2025.
The TRIGGER Horizon Europe project aims to enhance evidence-based connections between climate change and health threats and human well-being.
As clearly emerging in the EXPOSOME paradigm on which the project is rooted, the interactions among climate, health and ecosystems are multiple and complex, and research aiming at identification, monitoring, and quantification of impacts of climate change on human health requires the application of novel and transdisciplinary approaches. To this aim, TRIGGER has envisaged activities in a wide variety of disciplines developed in different real-world contexts considering the climatic, social, economic, and cultural richness of the European continent.
Specifically, TRIGGER has identified a set of five demonstration labs, the Climate Health Connection Labs (CHCLs) in which citizens are part of a codesign mechanism to directly monitor health, weather-climate, environmental and socio-economic data.
These labs operate in five strategically selected cities, Augsburg, Bologna, Geneva, Heraklion, and Oulu, chosen to reflect diverse climatic, socio-economic, and cultural contexts.
The objectives of the TRIGGER CHCLs are to:
• Investigate the complex interplay between climate change and health.
• Define a common language to foster collaboration among stakeholders, including medical, professionals, policymakers, climatologists, patient associations, and citizens, addressing local challenges.
• Provide a platform for interdisciplinary research and robust stakeholder engagement.
To achieve these ambitious aims, the CHCLs implement three interconnected clinical studies—RetroCLAVIS, CrossCLAVIS, and LongCLAVIS, which collectively provide a comprehensive understanding of the climate-health interplay. Each study contributes unique insights while building upon the others to create an integrated, multi-layered approach to identifying risk profiles and actionable interventions.
RetroCLAVIS:
• Retrospectively analyzes pre-existing lifelong health and environmental data.
• Identifies long-term trends and emerging health threats, providing a temporal context to complement acute and longitudinal findings.
CrossCLAVIS:
• Serves as the foundation by analyzing cardiovascular and respiratory disease patterns in real-time across diverse European settings.
• Investigates molecular and microbiological mechanisms, such as the respiratory microbiome and mitochondrial DNA.
• Provides baseline data to inform and validate hypotheses in RetroCLAVIS and LongCLAVIS.
LongCLAVIS:
• Extends CrossCLAVIS findings through a longitudinal study enrolling 300 healthy volunteers.
• Use wearable technology and citizen science to capture detailed data on health, personal and environmental exposures over a one-year period.
• Explores molecular and microbiological pathways underlying climate-driven disease susceptibility.
In this complex scenario, the Bologna CHCL specifically examines how extreme heat and air pollution could trigger cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. This lab combines cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, to analyze environmental exposures and health threats using harmonized datasets.
Overall, this work will present how the CHCL approach in the TRIGGER project provides an innovative, user-centered framework that integrates interdisciplinary collaboration and stakeholder engagement. By enabling capacity-building and deepening the understanding of the climate-health connection, the CHCLs deliver critical insights and practical mitigation and adaptation solutions, advancing societal preparedness for the challenges posed by climate change.
How to cite: Carelli, M., Brattich, E., Dienberger, I., Carelli, V., Galanakis, E., Dimitriou, E., Hoffmann, A., Pomee, M. S., Hertig, E., Spadotto, A., Bruley, E., Scolobig, A., Pulakka, A., Sebert, S., and Di Sabatino, S.: Unveiling the climate – health nexus through citizen science: the TRIGGER Climate Health ConnectionLabs, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-21602, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-21602, 2025.
The Mediterranean Basin is widely recognized as a significant hotspot for the impacts of climate change. Extreme meteorological events, such as heatwaves, exacerbate the phenomenon of urban heat islands (UHI), dramatically increasing climate risks, particularly in high-density urban areas. The combined effects of heatwaves and UHI are negatively impacting urban infrastructure and public health in numerous metropolitan regions.
This study aims to identify, quantify, and map UHI in the city of Padua (Northeast Italy) over recent decades, with a focus on climate extremes related to heatwaves, such as tropical nights and hot days.
The research analyzes and geovisualizes thermal anomalies in the complex urban environment, emphasizing sealed surfaces, rural areas, and watercourses. A reference dataset from an official weather station in Legnaro, operated by ARPA-Veneto, provides comprehensive data spanning 30 years (1993–2022). To gain a broader perspective on temperature variations across the urban area, the study also incorporates high-resolution data (100 m) from the ERA5 climate model for the period 2008–2017. Additionally, three citizen-science meteorological stations from the Meteonetwork association—located in distinct urban contexts (Portello, Basso Isonzo and Montà districts)—contribute localized climatological data, with particular emphasis on the exceptionally hot summer of 2022, recorded as the hottest on record.
The findings highlight the significant impacts of climate extremes on the city and its residents, including a detailed estimation of the urban population exposed to these conditions.
How to cite: Pappalardo, S. E., Santaterra, A., Facchinelli, F., Zanetti, C., De Marchi, M., and Ceppi, A.: Mapping urban heat islands in Padua (Italy): perspectives and trends of climate extremes in a changing climate, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-10492, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10492, 2025.
This study introduces a novel approach to reconstruct Urban Heat Islands (UHI) by leveraging urban-dwelling bats as biologically-assisted samplers (BAS), offering a unique perspective similar to urban residents. Using Egyptian fruit bats equipped with temperature loggers, we mapped spatial air temperature (Tair) profiles across diverse urban environments. To evaluate the feasibility of this method, we employed mixed-effects models and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) to analyze the influence of urban features on Tair distribution. Vegetation emerged as a critical factor in mitigating urban heat, with winter Tair differences of 2–5 °C observed between dense urban areas and adjacent vegetative or open spaces. A prominent UHI hotspot was identified in winter over the Ayalon highway, while differences were less pronounced during summer nights due to coastal cooling from sea breezes. Preliminary results further reveal a unique 3D perspective of UHI: Tair variations above dense urban areas were smaller compared to vegetative zones.
This approach demonstrates that urban bats, as local "residents," can act as efficient agents for atmospheric monitoring, complementing low-cost citizen science initiatives to gather environmental data. However, challenges associated with crowdsourced data collection, such as ensuring data accuracy, coverage, and integration with bat-derived scans, highlight the need for robust data validation frameworks. Despite these challenges, the synergy between bats and citizen science offers valuable insights into local vulnerabilities and informs targeted mitigation strategies, particularly during nocturnal hours when UHI effects are most pronounced.
How to cite: Chudnovsky, A., Goldshtein, A., Shashua-Bar, L., Yovel, Y., and Potchter, O.: Flying Thermometers: How Urban-Dwelling Bats Help Map Urban Heat Islands , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-20709, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-20709, 2025.
Accurate rainfall measurement, particularly at high spatiotemporal resolution, is crucial for urban flood monitoring. However, traditional methods of obtaining rainfall data are often inaccessible, costly, or inadequate for capturing localised flooding events. Low-cost weather stations (LCWS) can provide a viable solution, promoting public awareness and engagement with climate-related issues, including flooding, amidst growing urbanisation. This study shows the important role individual citizens can play in monitoring rainfall and contributing to flood mitigation measures. A total of 40 LCWS were deployed across Dublin to monitor rainfall at 5-minute intervals. The recorded rainfall data were compared with measurements from three nearby reference stations (RefS) operated by Met Éireann, as well as satellite rainfall data from the Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP), focusing on extreme events and hourly scales. Various performance indicators, were used to evaluate the accuracy of LCWS relative to the RefS. Overall, LCWS demonstrated closer alignment with the RefS, achieving higher CC (0.43 vs 0.26) and Probability of Detection (POD) (0.49 vs 0.23) values, along with lower Percent Bias (14.7 vs -48.3%) and False Alarm Ratio (FAR) (0.27 vs 0.38) values, compared to the GSMaP data. Moreover, POD values (FAR values) showed a decreasing (increasing) trend with distance from the RefS, representing the spatial variability of rainfall. Additionally, citizens’ engagement was assessed through a survey with preliminary results revealing that nearly 60% of homeowners observed intense rainfall events being recorded by their stations during the study period. 78.6% of respondents reported an increased interest in climate change and urban flooding, while 57% expressed a growing interest in advocating for climate action and urban sustainability due to their participation in this project. These findings underscore the potential of LCWS in participatory monitoring and their ability to drive advocacy for climate action and urban flood mitigation.
How to cite: Khan, S., Eslamirad, N., Sajadi, P., and O’Loughlin, F.: Community-Centric Rainfall Monitoring for Climate Awareness and Urban Flood Mitigation Advocacy, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-18817, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-18817, 2025.
Several personalized carbon footprint and lifestyle calculators have been developed that can be accessed via a web browser or smartphone applications to raise awareness and educate individuals on promoting sustainable behavioural change. This study uses citizens in an experimental setting in Hasselt (Belgium) (n=55) and Karachi (Pakistan) (n=65) to develop further insights about the capabilities of five largely used smartphone-based applications. These applications are Earth Hero, Klima, Yayzy, Carbon Neutral & CO2 Meter, and 2zero-Sustainable Living. Citizens are invited to download a particular app on their smartphone, and other details of the experiment are provided in an initial workshop. For example, a timeframe of three months is given for the app to be used regularly for at least 10 minutes per day. After three months, participants were invited again to workshops, where a structured discussion was held in a focus group setting to understand the behavioural change capabilities of a particular app. Participants from Hasselt (Belgium) and Karachi (Pakistan) exhibited diverse responses due to socio-cultural, economic, and infrastructural differences, highlighting the contextual adaptability of each application. EarthHero and Klima, which emphasized actionable sustainability tips, resonated well with users seeking direct and practical interventions. After three months, the structured focus group discussions revealed marginal behavioural change patterns, such as increased awareness of personal carbon footprints, reduced energy consumption, and shifts toward eco-friendly habits like public transport use or waste reduction. These changes were more pronounced among participants in Belgium than in Karachi, mainly due to the limited availability of sustainable alternatives. An issue of access to reliable local data has emerged, especially in Karachi, for quantifying footprint. Participants requested more user engagement features in the apps that increase peer interactions, such as leaderboard, community formation, etc. The findings could provide valuable insights into the role of technology in sustainability education, offering recommendations for app developers to improve user engagement and for policymakers to integrate such tools into broader environmental awareness campaigns.
How to cite: Adnan, M., Outay, F., Ahmed, A., and Ahmed, A.: Carbon Footprint Apps as Catalysts for Climate-Friendly Behavioural Change: Insights from Citizen Science Experiments, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-6486, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-6486, 2025.
Posters on site: Thu, 1 May, 16:15–18:00 | Hall X5
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.
Climate change mitigation campaigns aim to raise awareness, increase knowledge, and communicate actions for reducing carbon footprints. Unfortunately, these top-down campaigns often fail to engage the public effectively. To address this issue, the I-CHANGE project developed the ChallengeYeti app, an innovative solution designed to fill the knowledge-action gap by empowering and motivating citizens to take climate action through participatory and gamification approaches.
The ChallengeYeti app leverages digital tools and gamification to foster behavioural change. Rooted in the COM-B theory of behaviour change, the app focuses on three components: capability, opportunity, and motivation. By incorporating game elements, the app stimulates intrinsic motivation through social interaction and extrinsic motivation through competition and rewards. This approach ensures long-term user engagement and sustainable impact.
Unlike traditional carbon footprint calculators that focus on specific aspects such as transport or energy efficiency, the ChallengeYeti app offers a comprehensive platform for tracking both avoided and produced carbon footprints. The app presents data in a clear and understandable format, enabling users to grasp the context and take informed actions. Additionally, the app promotes user engagement through a series of challenges and the creation of communities, fostering competition and collective action.
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.
Urbanization brings a set of challenges that demand innovative and comprehensive solutions. Among these, sustainable mobility and air pollution mitigation are the most pressing ones, both tackled by the European Green Deal that advocates for Europe's climate neutrality by 50. The EU framework only sets the target goal for air quality and pollutant emissions, but the single member states are empowered to define their mobility strategy and define national and local policies. Therefore, a proper design and implementation of strategic initiatives must be tailored to the needs of local settlements and communities. Numerical models offer the possibility to test realistic strategies and evaluate their benefits by simulating realistic scenarios, including individuals’ and communities’ behavioural changes in response to strategy implementation. This study proposes an integrated modelling chain developed within the I-CHANGE (Individual Change of Habits Needed for European Green Transition) EU Horizon 2020 project to estimate the role and impact of behavioural change for the mitigation of CO2, greenhouse gases, short-lived climate forcers and air pollutants associated with road traffic. The modelling chain is modular and suitable to simulate the current status and hypothetical policy scenarios: it composes of an activity-based model, deriving the traffic flow generated by the citizens’ daily habits, an emission model, extrapolating the emission inventory of the target atmospheric compounds which are finally used by a dispersion model to derive the air pollutants concentration and spatial distribution. Rooted in numerical models at the state-of-the-art and well-consolidated analytical methods, citizens sustain the chain will and stakeholder needs to frame the necessary policy interventions. ntions. The outcome of the modelling chain is twofold: (i) bringing evidence on the efficiency of designed mitigation strategies and (ii) demonstrating to the public that mitigation can be pursued, incentivizing the necessary behavioural change it might require.
The methodology here presented is applied to evaluate four policy scenarios tested in the city of Bologna (IT), Dublin (IE) and Hasselt (BE). The output allows to elaborate potential advantages and disadvantages in terms of mobility, air quality and behavioural change the cities would face. Specifically, the policy scenarios envision new bicycle infrastructure in designated areas (policy 1), Low Emission Zones in the city centre (policy 2), time-based restrictions on car and private vehicle usage near schools (policy 3) and flexible working hours/working from home schemes (policy 4). Depending on the scenario, policies implementation can introduce notable impacts on (local) concentrations. Specifically, policy scenarios tend to lead to lower peaks of pollutant concentration levels in the areas where policies are implemented, counterbalanced by minor concentration increases in other areas. These insights facilitate evidence-based policy adjustments, enabling decision makers to address the complexities of urban development while fostering resilient, inclusive, and environmentally conscious communities.
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.
Posters virtual: Thu, 1 May, 14:00–15:45 | vPoster spot 2
EGU25-8084 | Posters virtual | VPS29
CLIMATE OBJECTIVE: I-CHANGE and UIF amateur photographers' alliance for climateThu, 01 May, 14:00–15:45 (CEST) vPoster spot 2 | vP2.20
I-CHANGE addresses climate challenges by actively involving communities in environmental monitoring activities. The objective of the project is to empower individuals and communities to make informed decisions that reduce their environmental footprint, thus contributing to climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. I-CHANGE equips individuals with tools, and sensors allowing to collect and analyze data to assess the impact of personal and community choices on the environment. The digital camera, in cooperation with the Unione Italiana Fotoamatori (UIF, https://www.uif-net.com/), has emerged as a crucial tool to involve the public and promote participation in climate change topics. UIF has enabled the participation of 176 authors and collected over 1500 images through photographic competitions: the result is a wonderful photography book ready to be downloaded for entertainment and educational purposes (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13928716)
How to cite: Parodi, A., Ferraris, L., Loglisci, N., Mantini, M., Polo, L., Provenzale, A., Visigalli, R., and Poggi, E.: CLIMATE OBJECTIVE: I-CHANGE and UIF amateur photographers' alliance for climate , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-8084, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-8084, 2025.
