Martin Brocklehurst – AURORA Partner and Chair of the Citizen Science Global Partnership
What a year of progress for citizen science and the opportunity to motivate the global citizen science community to work together to tackle and reduce carbon pollution – we can make a difference.
It is easy to be pessimistic about the world’s efforts to tackle climate change and reduce global carbon pollution. After all, the UN secretary general, António Guterres, said the 10 hottest years on record had happened in the past decade. 2024 is the warmest on record, capping a decade of unprecedented heat fuelled by human activities and driving increasing weather extremes, while greenhouse gas levels continue to reach new highs, locking in more heat for the future.
But let’s be optimistic. In the European Union carbon pollution fell by 8.3% in 2023 (reported November 2024) and has fallen by 37% since 1990. Over the same period, EU Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 68%. This points to the fact that reducing emissions and economic growth are compatible. The EU remains on track to achieve a 55% reduction in carbon pollution by 2035.
At the citizen level, great opportunities are opening up for citizen science to make a real difference in accelerating these trends. We can tackle the 30-40% of carbon emissions from heating and powering our homes and the transport decisions we all take through citizen science. The Stockholm Environment Institute recently highlighted nine major citizen science projects tackling carbon pollution in Europe, Africa and the USA. Project AURORA is highlighted as the project tackling most key opportunities for citizen science and remains a trailblazer. I am proud to be part of this project.
The opportunity to coalesce these different approaches into 3 or 4 standard citizen science techniques with common data handling and reporting systems has been recognised by the Citizen Science Global Partnership (CSGP). Plans are now being made to establish common systems in 2025 with the support of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Engagement has begun with the EU Climate Pact, the EU Education4Climate group, and EU Policy Makers. 2025 will be an exciting time to prove that citizens can make a difference in tackling carbon pollution, but only if we significantly scale up citizen science activities at both a European and global scale.
If you are interested in what we are doing, share this story, and signal your support for this idea. Even better, download the AURORA Energy Tracker app and track and reduce your own personal carbon pollution. Only then will you be able to look your Grandchildren in the eye and say:
“I did not idly stand by and do nothing whilst others ignored the consequences of climate change. I may not have been a political leader, but I took my responsibility seriously and illustrated that we can change. Will you be able to say the same!”
#Climate Change #AURORAH2020 #Citizen Science #EnergyConservation #EU Climate #Law
Martin Brocklehurst
Chair Citizen Science Global Partnership
EU Climate Pact Ambassador
EU AURORA Project – Tackling Climate Change Partner
The above are all my own personal views.
