Citizen Science for Transition to Sustainability and SDG Monitoring in an Italian River Basin

The direct involvement of the public in data collection and analysis can be a powerful tool to fill information gaps, while simultaneously improving community influence on urban planning and land management policies. Using a robust case study, this paper shows how Citizen Science (CS) data can support complex sustainability transitions. In a study of the Ombrone River Basin (ORB) in Italy, the paper shows how data produced by a large group of citizen participants was integrated into official datasets on land use and water quality, demonstrating the potential for this method in supporting the monitoring of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators at the local level. In addition, through scenario analysis including a reforestation hypothesis, the paper offers useful pointers for leveraging and optimising the voluntary participation of non-professional scientists in the various stages of research and innovation activities, in support of data-driven policies and planning that take environmental sustainability into account.