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Citizen Science as Democratic Innovation That Renews Environmental Monitoring and Assessment for the Sustainable Development Goals in Rural Areas

Author

Listed:
  • Cristian Alarcon Ferrari

    (Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden)

  • Mari Jönsson

    (Swedish Species Information Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden)

  • Solomon Gebreyohannis Gebrehiwot

    (Ethiopian Institute of Water Resources, Addis Ababa University, 15046 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

  • Linley Chiwona-Karltun

    (Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden)

  • Cecilia Mark-Herbert

    (Department of Forest Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden)

  • Daniela Manuschevich

    (Department of Geography, University of Chile, 8331051 Santiago, Chile)

  • Neil Powell

    (Sustainability Learning and Research Centre (SWEDESD), Uppsala University, 752 37 Uppsala, Sweden
    Sustainability Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast (USC), 4558 Queensland, Australia)

  • Thao Do

    (Sustainability Learning and Research Centre (SWEDESD), Uppsala University, 752 37 Uppsala, Sweden)

  • Kevin Bishop

    (Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden)

  • Tuija Hilding-Rydevik

    (Swedish Biodiversity Center, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden)

Abstract

This commentary focuses on analyzing the potential of citizen science to address legitimacy issues in the knowledge base used to guide transformative governance in the context of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (henceforth SDGs). The commentary develops two interrelated arguments for better understanding the limits of what we term “traditional” Environmental Monitoring and Assessment (EMA) as well as the potential of citizen science (CS) for strengthening the legitimacy of EMA in the local implementation of SDGs. We start by arguing that there is an urgent need for a profound renewal of traditional EMA to better implement the SDGs. Then, we present CS as a democratic innovation that provides a path to EMA renewal that incorporates, develops, and extends the role of CS in data production and use by EMA. The commentary substantiates such arguments based on current approaches to CS and traditional EMA. From this starting point, we theorize the potential of CS as a democratic innovation that can repurpose EMA as a tool for the implementation of the SDGs. With a focus on the implementation of SDG15 (Life on Land) in local contexts, the commentary presents CS as a democratic innovation for legitimate transformative governance that can affect socio-ecological transitions. We see this approach as especially appropriate to analyze the implementation of SDGs in rural settings where a specific resource nexus can create conflict-laden contexts with much potential for a renewed EMA to support transformative governance towards Agenda 2030.

Suggested Citation

  • Cristian Alarcon Ferrari & Mari Jönsson & Solomon Gebreyohannis Gebrehiwot & Linley Chiwona-Karltun & Cecilia Mark-Herbert & Daniela Manuschevich & Neil Powell & Thao Do & Kevin Bishop & Tuija Hilding, 2021. "Citizen Science as Democratic Innovation That Renews Environmental Monitoring and Assessment for the Sustainable Development Goals in Rural Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-9, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:5:p:2762-:d:510450
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Raimund Bleischwitz & Catalina Spataru & Stacy D. VanDeveer & Michael Obersteiner & Ester Voet & Corey Johnson & Philip Andrews-Speed & Tim Boersma & Holger Hoff & Detlef P. Vuuren, 2018. "Resource nexus perspectives towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 1(12), pages 737-743, December.
    2. Dara O'Rourke & Gregg P. Macey, 2003. "Community environmental policing: Assessing new strategies of public participation in environmental regulation," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 22(3), pages 383-414.
    3. Niels Mejlgaard & Carter Bloch & Lise Degn & Mathias W. Nielsen & Tine Ravn, 2012. "Locating science in society across Europe: Clusters and consequences," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 39(6), pages 741-750, December.
    4. Sauermann, Henry & Vohland, Katrin & Antoniou, Vyron & Balázs, Bálint & Göbel, Claudia & Karatzas, Kostas & Mooney, Peter & Perelló, Josep & Ponti, Marisa & Samson, Roeland & Winter, Silvia, 2020. "Citizen science and sustainability transitions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(5).
    5. Niels Mejlgaard & Carter Bloch, 2012. "Science in Society in Europe," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 39(6), pages 695-700, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Egidijus Jurkus & Ramūnas Povilanskas & Julius Taminskas, 2022. "Current Trends and Issues in Research on Biodiversity Conservation and Tourism Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-14, March.
    2. Carlo Andrea Biraghi & Daniela Carrion & Maria Antonia Brovelli, 2022. "Citizen Science Impact on Environmental Monitoring towards SDGs Indicators: The CASE of SIMILE Project," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-21, July.
    3. Maria Panitsa & Nikolia Iliopoulou & Emmanouil Petrakis, 2021. "Citizen Science, Plant Species, and Communities’ Diversity and Conservation on a Mediterranean Biosphere Reserve," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-11, September.

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