WP7 D7.11 Creation of International Community of Citizen Observers

This deliverable, D7.11, documents the successful transition of the International Community of Citizen Observers (CoCO) from the conceptual framework established in GREENGAGE Deliverable D7.10 (Sanz and Serrano, 2024) into a fully operational and active online platform at citizenobservers.eu. This report details the key achievements in activating the community, the strategic rationale behind the platform's design, the action plan for the project's final months, and a strategy for the community's long-term sustainability and exploitation.

The development process followed a user-centric pipeline, beginning with a foundational analysis of our target user: the "Citizen Observer." This research confirmed that this distinct profile is primarily motivated by two key drivers: the empowering nature of accessible technology and the profound desire to see their environmental observations translate into tangible policy impact. These insights became the architectural blueprint for the platform. The features, initial content pillars (including a Tools & Devices Repository and a Policy Impact Hub), and community forums were all specifically designed to serve these core needs, creating a purpose-built environment for citizen-led environmental action.

With the technical infrastructure in place, the platform has been officially launched. Initial engagement activities have commenced, including a public presentation at the Zaragoza Science Fair and strategic outreach to GREENGAGE pilots and key "sister" projects across Europe. Furthermore, a significant strategic collaboration has been solidified through the acceptance of a joint panel with the CitiObs and Urban ReLeaf projects for the ECSA 2026 conference, positioning the CoCO as a key collaborative actor in the European citizen science landscape.

Looking forward, this report outlines a clear action plan for M34-M36 focused on cultivating a healthy core community, deepening strategic collaborations through a "Project Alliance," and launching flagship engagement initiatives. Critically, a comprehensive sustainability and governance model is presented. The Ibercivis Foundation has formally adopted the CoCO as a Key Exploitable Result, committing to its long-term technical and administrative custodianship. This is coupled with a proposed community-led governance model, ensuring that while the platform has a stable institutional home, its strategic direction will be guided by the community it serves, fulfilling its vision of becoming a self-sustaining and dynamic ecosystem for Citizen Observers, truly owned by its community.