Citizen-science approach for an environmental analysis: The case study of university cyclists in Bologna

Climate change represents a critical vulnerability in urban areas. Shifting from the concept of Urban Resilience (UR) to Urban Sustainability (US) is considered a driver for reducing the impacts of climate change. This transition is feasible by encouraging bottom-up citizen engagement in urban policies and promoting sustainable active mobility, a sector in which cycling plays a significant role. This paper proposes an innovative methodology based on a citizen-science approach (bottom-up level), developed and carried out in Bologna, Italy, to investigate the correlation between the number of bike rides and users' awareness of environmental pollutants. About 50 bicycles specifically designed with environmental sensors to collect environmental data (PM10 and PM2.5) were distributed to university staff. A statistical analysis exploring possible relationships was carried out, and the main outcome was the identification of a multiple regression analysis (MLR) between trips, pollutants, and other variables related to the built environment. This integrated approach represents a novel contribution to the field, combining environmental monitoring and active mobility to support citizen-informed urban sustainability strategies.