Onto new horizons: insights from the WeObserve project to strengthen the awareness, acceptability and sustainability of Citizen Observatories in Europe
Gerid Hager, Margaret M. Gold, Uta Wehn, Raquel Ajates, Linda See, Mel Woods, Chrysovalantis Tsiakos, Joan Masó, Dilek Fraisl, Inian Moorthy, Dahlia Domian, Steffen Fritz
Abstract
WeObserve delivered the first European-wide Citizen Observatory (CO) knowledge platform to share best practices, to address challenges and to inform practitioners, policy makers and funders of COs. We present key insights from WeObserve activities into leveraging challenges to create interlinked solutions, connecting with international frameworks and groups, advancing the field through communities of practice and practitioner networks, and fostering an enabling environment for COs. We also discuss how the new Horizon Europe funding programme can help to further advance the CO concept, and vice versa, how COs can provide a suitable mechanism to support the ambitions of Horizon Europe.