Project

Alternative title: Deteksjon, opprinnelse, transport og global strålingspåvirkning av luftbåren mikroplast

The project with the short name "MAGIC" will incorporate advances in atmospheric sampling (e.g., from Global Atmosphere Watch stations, GAW) and detection of microplastics (e.g. long timeseries of measurements) into atmospheric dispersion and inverse modelling algorithms.

This will allow for accurate determination of their atmospheric levels, precise quantification of their sources and reliable constrain of their atmospheric budget.

Important processes affecting the atmospheric dispersion of microplastics will be carefully studied (e.g., turbulence- induced resuspension and oceanic ejection, non-spherical particle modelling) and modelled for the first time.

The obtained knowledge will be used to answer the primary objective of MAGIC for the role of microplastics in the global radiative budget at present and future years.

Our inter-disciplinary team is in a unique position to assess the state of atmospheric microplastic emissions and dynamics and their impact on Earth’s radiative balance. This will enable a targeted approach to investigation and monitoring of atmospheric microplastic signals in atmospheric data and dispersion models.

Primary objective

The primary objective of MAGIC is to investigate sources and sinks of atmospheric microplastics transported to remote regions through the atmosphere and their subsequent climate feedback.

Secondary objectives are to:

1. Develop FLEXPART model in order to account for non-spherical structures (microfibers).
2. Develop an inverse modelling algorithm that will be used for source quantification of atmospheric microplastics.
3. Identify source origin of atmospheric microplastics deposited in snow and ice in high northern latitudes.
4. Develop and ingest a module into FLEXPART for the resuspension of atmospheric microplastics (grasshopper effect, large-eddy simulations).
5. Create protocols of standard operating procedures for sampling of atmospheric microplastics in PM₁₀.
6. Develop an analytical determination methodology for atmospheric microplastics (TED-MS, TD-PTR-MS).
7. Define the climatic role/impact of atmospheric microplastics at present and future times (radiative transfer modelling).

Project

Nitrogen is a basic component of life and it is present both in proteins and DNA. Its basic chemical form in nature is the non-reactive gaseous N₂.

However, in the 20th Century humans converted N₂ into more reactive forms. Today, NH₃ (ammonia) sustains life and almost 40% of the global population owes its life to NH₃ through the use of fertilisers' in food production. Though, implications of ammonia for population and environment have received a lot of attention in the last decades.

On one hand, its presence in the atmosphere in low concentrations is beneficial as it makes the rain less acidic by neutralising sulphuric acid aerosols. On the other hand, increased emissions of NH3 result in reactions with sulphuric and nitric acids contributing 30%-50% to the total PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ mass.

Enhanced production of ammonium aerosols can cause premature mortality as they penetrate human respiratory system and deposit in the lungs. Furthermore, ammonium aerosols affect the Earth's radiative balance, both directly by scattering incoming radiation and indirectly as cloud condensation nuclei causing a positive climate feedback (warming).

Despite its importance, NH3 is one of the most poorly quantified gases with a limited number of continuous ammonia measurements in Europe, America or Asia.

However, the lack of observations is covered by satellites and nowadays satellite algorithms are advanced enough to provide daily global concentrations of atmospheric NH₃.

We use the existing knowledge of Lagrangian dispersion modelling and Bayesian inversion in NILU accompanied by continuous and satellite measurements to quantify regional (Europe) and global emissions of NH₃.

The optimised fluxes of NH₃ are studied and the impact to the environment and the population is examined. The methodology is designed to maximize the utility of empirical data for the least understood aspects and use models for source identification, which cannot be inferred from measurements alone.

The main points of COMBAT's developments and progress:

(Publications - see below.)

- The coupling of FLEXPART model with the Kinetic PreProcessor (KPP) to account for chemistry has resulted in a Conference publication (16th IGAC Scientific Confeence). A publication will be lead by the University of Bremen.

- The methodology to calculate NH3 emissions from satellite measurements was adapted to the needs of LSCE and this has resulted in a Conference publication (16th IGAC Scientific Confeence). A publication on this will be lead by the LSCE .

- Satellite measurements of NH3 from CrIS product are being processed to the inverse modelling framework. This will result in a publication focusing in Europe using the new reanalysis product from ECMWF (ERA5).

Project

The Arctic is a region which to high extent influences the atmospheric behaviour in the Northern hemisphere and for this reason attracts the attention of the scientific community. The Atmosphere Research Flagship Programme (http://nysmac.npolar.no/research/flagships/atmosphere.html) is an activity aimed to unite the efforts of scientists working in different fields of polar atmospheric research.

An important task of this activity is the study of solar UV radiation and ozone column that are considered important parameters for both climatic studies and biophysical examination of ecosystems. Several observational stations based in Ny-Ålesund, Hornsund and Barentsburg perform measurements of these parameters on a long-term basis.

The objective of the present proposal is to create the basis for their integration into a regional monitoring network, which will also lead to a closer cooperation of the researchers involved in these activities. Since the technical features of the current instrumentation at the stations involved are quite diverse, it is important to compare their ability to provide reliable and homogeneous data sets.

For that reason, an intercomaprison campaign planned in the frame of the proposed activities is considered an important element for the establishment of a Svalbard UV network. Another significant goal is the joint analysis of the available data and elaboration of common data format and data processing strategy for the future network that will provide a homogeneous data set. It is expected that the results achieved in the frame of the present proposal will contribute to more realistic conclusions made by the climatological and biophysical studies.

Project

Environmental toxins in urban animals (MILBY) is a program commissioned by the Norwegian Environment Agency. The program is led by NILU in collaboration with the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) and the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE). The program started in 2013 and has run over 3 five-year program periods. The last and third program period will end in 2026.

The main objective of MILBY is to assess the occurrence and accumulation potential of certain pollutants in living organisms on land in an urban ecosystem, and the possible sources of pollution from the pollutants. The program also assesses the risk resulting from the animals being exposed to a mixture of environmental toxins and to secondary poisoning. MILBY is not specifically designed as a monitoring program with the goal of producing trend studies over time.

Soil, earthworms, eggs from grey thrushes and sparrowhawks, livers from rats and red foxes have been collected and analysed throughout the period. In addition, other relevant species and plants have been collected for some years. The samples have been analysed for a large number of substances belonging to different groups of pollutants. In the current program period, this corresponds to 165 individual connections.

The surveillance is carried out in Norway's largest city, Oslo. With different places for collecting samples, the design aims to reflect the pollution that wildlife is generally exposed to in an urban region.

MILBY seeks to assess the presence and uptake of pollutants from sources in an urban environment, together with three other monitoring programs:

• "Environmental pollutants in an urban fjord", which monitors pollutants in the inner Oslofjord.
• MILFERSK, which monitors environmental toxins in Lake Mjøsa.
• "Atmospheric pollutants", which monitors pollutants in urban air in Oslo and remote areas.

Goals

(from the Norwegian Environment Agency)
The purpose of the program is to provide information on levels of hazardous substances and the accumulation of new hazardous substances in food chains on land in urban and peri-urban areas. The data collected shall provide a basis for assessing hazards to health and the environment, and to identify the need for regulation of chemicals nationally and/or internationally.

This is what MILBY does:

• Reports concentrations of selected pollutants at different trophic levels of a terrestrial food web in an urban area.
• Estimates the bioaccumulation and biomagnification potential of the various contaminants in food chains or food webs,
• Provide information on potential sources of pollutants for terrestrial organisms.

Link to presentation of MILBY, February 2024:

CIENS Breakfast webinar: Oslo-dyra er fulle av miljøgifter – og det er vår skyld. Men hvordan vet forskerne det?

Reports in the project

See the table below for reports from 2017 and forward

Earlier reports can be found here

Project

Being a fast developing field of research of increasing complexity, education and training on the impact and fate of MP pollution is lacking behind both in teaching state-of-the art research as well as methodology.

After 2 years of the first phase project PlastPoll, this objective has become even more crucial, acting on the increase of available methodology and understanding of the impacts of nano- and microplastic pollution, as a global challenge impacting even remote and fragile regions as the Arctic.

An overall goal is to train students in combining theoretical, experimental and field approaches for an excellent and sound scientific understanding of relevant processes and observations while at the same time contributing to the understanding of the fate and impact of MPs in the environment by developing this still young field of research on a global scale together.

An invaluable added value to the underlying JPI projects ANDROMEDA and FACTS will result in the evolution of the scope from temperate regions to arctic and high arctic regions. The continuation of the successfully established collaboration between Norway, China and USA will support the strong interaction between not only the supervisors, but also the students themselves. They will be both encouraged and facilitated by exchange visits, webinars and winter-/ summer schools including from the ANDROMEDA and FACTS consortia.

We will additionally offer master student projects in all three locations, which will create additional opportunities for students to participate in specific parts of this project.

At the same time, the exchange of experts will ensure the direct transfer of recent knowledge, leading on arctic research of MP in the environment.

The unique combination of participating research institutions (NILU, NPI) and universities (UiT, UCSF, TU) is complementary in scientific quality, academic programs, experience and qualification.

Project

The ‘sensEURcity’ project was launched because measurements from cheaper (low cost) air quality sensors are still too unreliable and data quality is insufficiently known. With this project, the Directorate-General of the European Joint Research Centre (DG JRC), with funding from the Directorate-General for Environment, aims to help evaluate the performance and potential of low-cost sensor systems for air quality and make comparisons with conventional measurement methods.

Project

The main aim of CELLUX is to develop a novel pharmaceutical based on CeO2 nanoparticles (NPs) eye drops to treat Age Macular Degeneration (AMD) that in combination with stem cell-based therapeutic strategies, can stop degeneration and restore vision.

The progression of AMD is associated with an increase of oxidative stress and inflammatory response in the eye leading to retinal cell death. This chronic disease represents a major cause of blindness in elderly people, and affects millions of people worldwide.

CeO2 NPs have antioxidant properties due to a unique electronic structure that when reduced to the nanoscale, oxygen defects appear at their surface, behaving as sites for free radical scavenging.

The project is financed via ERA NET EuroNanoMed3 program and it is coordinating by University Hospital (VHIR) Barcelona. The consortium consists of six partners from five countries: Spain, Norway, Italy, Czech Republic and France.

The project started in January 2020 and will be performed in a period of 36 months. The project tasks are broken into 6 work packages (WPs).

NILU is involved WP2. "Mechanistic effects and safety of the NPs in vitro" and is responsible for the task 2.1: Cellular interaction and distribution of CeO2 NPs.

NILU will study safety of the CeO2 NPs by the endpoints cytotoxicity (alamarBlue assay) and genotoxicity (enzyme-linked version of the comet assay). Oxidative stress at the DNA level, as well as DNA strand breaks will be studied by the comet assay. Further, mechanisms of interaction of CeO2 NPs with cells will be studied by confocal microscopy (cellular uptake, endocytosis and exocytosis). Antioxidant protective effect of CeO2-NPs will be compared with effect of known antioxidants as ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene.

In the last year NILU has:

i) Established a retinal cell model (RPE) at NILU`s premises

ii) Performed cyto- and genotoxicity testing of the oxidant Tertiary-butyl hydroperoxide (TBH) and of CeO2 NPs produced by the partners in the project on the well-known cellular model A549 as well as in RPE cells.

iii) Investigated the antioxidant protection against DNA damage with known antioxidants on a well-known cellular model (A549) The known antioxidants ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene were tested for their capacity to protect cells from oxidative DNA damage, applying the comet assay.

Experiments are ongoing to test these antioxidants in combination with TBH and CeO-NPs, measured by cell viability and DNA damage. No cell death nor induction of DNA damage was measured after exposure to CeO-NPs.

NILU also investigated cellular interaction of CeO-NP and by confocal microscopy. NILU participated with several scientist at the consortium meetings. Experimental work is a bit delayed due to COVID 19 and laboratories lock down.

Project

The core objective of FAIRiCUBE is to enable players from beyond classic Earth Observation (EO) domains to provide, access, process, and share gridded data and algorithms in a FAIR and TRUSTable manner.

To reach this objective, we propose creating the FAIRiCUBE HUB, a crosscutting platform and framework for data ingestion, provision, analysis, processing, and dissemination, to unleash the potential of environmental, biodiversity and climate data through dedicated European data spaces.

Within this project, TRL 7 will be attained, together with the necessary governance aspects to assure continued maintenance of the FAIRiCUBE HUB beyond the project lifespan.

This project’s goal is to leverage the power of Machine Learning (ML) operating on multi-thematic datacubes for a broader range of governance and research institutions from diverse fields, who at present cannot easily access and utilize these potent resources.

Selected use cases will illustrate how data-driven projects can benefit from cube formats, infrastructure, and computational benefits. They will guide us in creating a user-friendly FAIRiCUBE HUB, which is tightly integrated to the common European data spaces, providing relevant stakeholders an overview of both data and processing modules readily available to be applied to these data sources.

Tools enabling users not intimately familiar with the worlds of EO and ML to scope the requirements and costs of their desired analyses will be implemented, easing uptake of these resources by a broader community. The FAIR sharing of results with the community will be fostered by providing easy to use tools and workflows directly in the FAIRiCUBE HUB.

Project

In REGAME we will update chemistry transport models (FLEXPART, OsloCTM) to include the kinetic isotope effect (KIE) of methane (CH4), enabling better constraints on the CH4 budget (KIE is dependent on source/ sink).

We will update the atmospheric inversion framework FLXINVERT to include novel use of satellite CH4 fields (Sentinel 5P).

This will include significant changes to FLEXINVERT, which will also be applicable to other satellite data e.g. carbon dioxide (CO2) and improve the model capabilities to handle large data fields in general.

With these upgrades we assess CH4 emissions from the major sources (wetlands, biomass burning, anthropogenic) at the global scale using all available data (e.g. ICOS, NOAA data, data on ebas.nilu.no).

This data includes measurements from the Zeppelin Observatory in the Arctic, to Troll in Antarctica, i.e. from pole-to-pole. Our cross disciplinary team is in a unique position to assess the state of the Arctic/ Antarctic ocean CH4 reservoir.

This reservoir is currently considered a minor source but has potential for large scale disruption if emissions increase suddenly and rapidly.

We will perform measurements of CH4 over the ocean (research vessels Helmer Hanssen, Kronprins Haakon) assess temporal variability of CH4 emission from the seabed and movement through the water column (due to e.g. variable microbial activity, ocean stratification, currents and seep emission rates), with long-term (1 year) measurements at a mooring south of Svalbard (deployed for the NorEMSO project) in an area bearing gas hydrates and active CH4 seeps. Furthermore we add to the knowledge of potential seep locations by performing echo-souding surveys.

Combining insights from these temporal and spatial studies will allow a more targeted approach to assessing the ocean source in general. Specifically in REGAME we will run a regional/ Arctic inversion including these data to constrain high latitude emissions including from the ocean.

Project

What is the CE-RISE project?

What is the CE-RISE project?

The rising demand and limited supply of critical raw materials (CRMs) impair the ability to rapidly adopt technological change toward green and sustainable technologies, which directly affect the resilience of EU industries seeking to achieve Green Deal objectives for an equitable, zeroemission, and digitalized Europe.

In response to these challenges, the European Commission aims to minimize the loss of secondary raw materials (SRM) and optimize their reuse across value chains.

CE-RISE will develop and pilot an integrated framework and an ensuing resource information system to identify optimal solutions for the effective reuse, recovery, and/or recycling of materials by

1. defining a set of criteria (RE criteria) to evaluate the extent to which products and embedded components can be reused, repaired, refurbished and/or recycled;
2. incorporating information on RE criteria and material composition of products into the Digital product passport (DPP) to enable traceability of materials in the supply chain;
3. integrating DPP with information on the environmental footprint of products (PEF), socio-economic and environmental (SEE) impacts of RE processes;
4. enabling confidential and anonymized information sharing among actors throughout value chains;
5. providing open access software application to disseminate information on the assessment of RE criteria, PEF and SEE impacts of products to all stakeholders including consumers and policymakers.

The results will be piloted on four case studies. CE-RISE will contribute to bridging the digital divide in society by supplying affordable second-hand ICT devices, and supporting access to digital education and job opportunities. Ultimately, CE-RISE will foster a dynamic ecosystem geared toward prolonging the use of materials in the economy and stimulating circular business models to reduce waste generation while optimizing the reuse of SRMs.

Read more about the project in the news article at NILU web

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3030/101092281

Project

The main goal of the project is to modify and enhance NILUs existing atmospheric models to allow for improved simulation of traditional air pollutants (e.g., NO₂, PM_2.5, PM₁₀) at very high spatial resolution in urban areas.

Project

The DECIAS project is aimed at developing a modelling toolbox for environmental sustainability assessment based upon Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), dynamic Material Flow Analysis (MFA), and multiregional Input Output Analysis (MRIO).

The production, trade, and consumption of goods and services leads to significant impacts on the climate, environment and human health. The adoption of technological innovations or policies and measures targeting sustainable development can be aided by a systemic sustainability assessment that checks that actions are economically sound and do not come at increased environmental and social cost compared to the present situation. In fact, for many actions it is often possible to identify co-benefits across a range of economic, environmental and social indicators.

The DECIAS project aims to develop a multidisciplinary modeling framework and toolbox to better understand environmental impacts driven by economic activity and consumption. The framework will be based on Material Flow Analysis (MFA), Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and multiregional Input-Output (MRIO) assessment. It captures the release of pollutants from human activities through the entire life cycle of materials, and leverages NILU’s experience in modelling pollutant transport through the environment.

Results will enable the comparative assessment of innovations, policies and measures for a transition to a green and circular economy, by estimating the associated social, environmental and climate costs and benefits.

The framework and tools will be developed through a series of case studies to test and demonstrate proof-of-concept. The project will focus on identifying impacts related to the cross-cutting topic climate-energy-land-water signified by UN SDGs 6, 7, 13, 14, 15 and relate to SDGs 3 on health and 12 on sustainable consumption and production.

[caption id="attachment_14339" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Life cycle[/caption]

Project

Airify is an industrial innovation project where NILU will contribute to evaluate the performance of novel low-cost sensor systems developed by LASTING Software. During the project we will test Airify sensor systems both in laboratory and in the field.

Project

This is a project for Innovation Norway to estimate the CO₂ emissions of transport from the movement of tourists to, in and from Norway.

Emissions are calculated from detailed input data, separating both origin destination and purpose of travel.

A key outcome of the project has been an emission calculator designed to provide useful information on emissions by different types of tourists for a destination.

Additionally, the project aims to provide an overview of total emissions for all tourist travels in Norway.

Project

Measuring of SO2 in the residential areas around the companies Elkem Carbon and REC Solar at Fiskå / Kristiansand.

SO₂ is measured in the residential areas around the companies Elkem Carbon and REC Solar at Fiskå / Kristiansand. An SO₂ monitor is located in the residential area which, according to dispersion calculations, is most affected by the emissions from the companies. In addition, passive samplers are located in inhabited areas around the company. The measurements last for at least a whole year to cover a wide range of meteorological conditions that can occur during a year, and which largely affect the dispersion of emissions and spatial distribution of SO₂. The distribution of SO₂ and its concentration level are assessed with regard to the requirements in the Pollution Control Regulations and are assessed together with local meteorological measurements. The measurement program will help to map the extent of any exceedances around the industrial companies.

Project

The effect of aluminium production on the environment surrounding aluminium smelters has been studied over several decades. NILU has studied their effects on air quality both in measurements and modelling studies since the early 1970s. The “Effect Study” in the beginning of the 1990s gave an overview over the effects of aluminium production on vegetation, water, farm and game animals and human health.

ESPIAL (Ensuring the Environmental Sustainability of production of PrImary Aluminium) is a multidisciplinary study initiated and sponsored by “Aluminiumindustriens Miljøsekretariat” (AMS) to update and supplement the Effect Study. The project covers data back to the early 1990s.

The main aim of the project is to advance the knowledge regarding the environmental consequences associated with emissions to air from the production of primary aluminium from the production technologies available today. The aim is achieved through the assessment of the effect of historical emissions on air quality in the past, involving a literature review of data from ten aluminium smelters in Northern Europe, (WP1) and measurement of the most relevant air pollutants emitted during aluminium production in the surroundings of two selected aluminium smelters, Hydro Sunndal (WP2) and Alcoa Lista (WP3). The outcome from these activities will contribute to knowledge creation at the Al-industries and to secure sustainability of the aluminium industry in Northern Europe.

In order to establish up-to-date knowledge on the ambient air quality status in the surroundings of aluminium plants today, field campaigns were carried out at selected smelters. The ten smelters participating in the ESPIAL project are placed at locations largely differing regarding dispersion conditions, population exposure, topography etc. This makes it difficult to conclude on the situation around other smelters based on measurements at only one distinct location. Lista and Sunndal were indicated as suitable sites, one located in a flat area at the coast, the other in a topographically complex terrain. Two separate sampling campaigns are carried out.

Project

The overall aim of our study is to develop a concept model to estimate emissions (the following components are included:  CO2, BC, CH4, NH3, NMVOC, PM10, PM2.5 and NOx) from construction activity based on bottom-up principles.

Such a model will allow for estimates of emissions at different levels, i.e., from the individual construction site to municipality and up to national level.

To our knowledge, there is no existing modelling approach that provides this information nor any prior assessment of comprehensive basis for its development. The most critical aspect for designing such an approach is the availability of reliable input data that allows defining the activity that generates emissions and their spatial and temporal distribution.

In the first phase of the project, the aim is to map the available input data, evaluate them and set up the basis for a potential bottom-up emission model for NRMM in building and construction. The second phase is to develop a model that provides high resolution emissions from construction activity in Norway.

Project

This SIS-project is designed in a close collaboration between NILU and NIVA with an overall objective to develop a methodological framework which can help with structure thinking and provide a systematic approach to the analysis of urban environmental sustainability.

The methodological framework will be developed based on the EEA’s urban sustainability conceptual framework and linking to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), e.g., including the city context, key enabling factors, urban lenses and building blocks for urban sustainable development.

The following key specific thematic topics and research questions will be addressed in the project:

Nature-based solutions

• How to support cities towards more effective mitigation and adaptation to climate change?

Assessment of environmental contaminants in the urban environment

• How does the composition of environmental contaminants in the urban environments change, e.g., as a result of urbanization, climate change and sustainable measures?

Behavioral change and citizen engagement

• How to improve human behavior to minimize emissions and pollution exposure?

Well-being and health

• How to improve health and well-being by innovative solutions in urban sustainable transitions?

The SIS-project has been broken down into the following three working groups (WG).

• WG1 – Environmental contaminants
• WG2 – Operationalization of UN SDGs & measurement of urban sustainability
• WG3 – Assessment of municipal needs

The project results are expected to

• facilitate different forms of analysis and assessment of urban environmental sustainability that will help decision-makers to identify policy options and priorities; and
• underpin and support a transition to urban environmental sustainability.

Project

The project will develop and test the first targeted and long-acting nanomedicine with neuroprotective properties for ischemic stroke, with potential application in other neurological diseases.

The Team will demonstrate that the targeted delivery of a long-acting glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) nanoparticle to the brain in order to enhance the neuroprotective character of GOT (i.e., prevention of neuronal apoptosis and cell death) in a model ischemic stroke. Systemically administered GOT has been demonstrated to deplete blood glutamate levels, which in turn causes an efflux of excess glutamate from the brain.

One major shortcoming of this approach is that the systemic effect of GOT on brain glutamate concentration is short-lived (~1 h), mainly because of its rapid elimination from the body. The project will: i) increase the circulatory half-life of GOT and ii) target GOT to- or near to- the ischemic region of the brain where GOT can exert its therapeutic catalytic activity. These objectives will be met by preparing a Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB)-targeted nano-formulation of GOT (GOT-NP).

What is particularly original in this strategy is that accumulation of GOT-NP at the blood-side of the BBB will promote the efflux of glutamate from the brain by increasing the glutamate gradient on either side of the BBB. As such, GOT-NP does not actually have to cross the BBB to produce an enhanced neuroprotective effect. Crossing the BBB, which is substantially more challenging, would represent an added bonus of selectively depleting glutamate in the cerebrospinal fluid.

In addition to the design and synthesis of GOT-NP, this project will investigate and validate iii) the mechanism of in vitro neuroprotection as well as iv) the in vivo biodistribution and neuroprotective effect of GOT-NP in an animal model of ischemic stroke, in order to conclude pre-clinical studies and place the Team in a position to embark on clinical testing.

Project

Project

NordicPATH’s overall objective is to establish a new model for citizens’ participation and collaborative planning in Nordic countries to create healthy and people-centred cities. The project is tackling complex environmental impacts such as air quality and climate change and is developing a method specifically targeted for the governance and the conditions of the Nordic countries with potential replicability and scalability to other countries.

NordicPATH aims at smart and sustainable solutions with a citizen-oriented approach. Technology will not be considered as a goal itself, but as a tool to increase accessibility to different societal groups, to stimulate the circular exchange of knowledge among citizens, public authorities, private sector and scientists and to foster system innovation towards sustainable development.

We will apply a co-monitoring system, combining environmental measurements from official monitoring stations and citizens’ own measuring devices. NordicPATH is also promoting more inclusive planning processes, involving citizens in the co-design of solutions to tackle environmental issues together with urban planners, authorities and scientists. We will combine the use of more traditional analogue participation tools as workshops and focus groups with the use of digital tools, in particular, PPGIS (public participation Geographical Information Systems), to ensure a broad range of public involvement.

NordicPATH will develop a participation method based on community activities and identity-establishing tools. This will allow for a new participative planning culture in the Nordic countries that will not just reflect the democracy that the Nordic countries represent in the world, but also the progress towards deliberative democracy, involving and shaping important local and global issues (such as air quality) together with citizens’ input on decisions. Participation in improving urban air quality is the NordicPATH strategy towards a liveable, resilient and smart urban environments.

Project

ACTION will transform the way we do citizen science (CS) today: from a mostly scientist-led process to a more participatory, inclusive, citizen-led one, which acknowledges the diversity of the CS landscape and of the challenges CS teams have to meet as their project evolves.

We have partnered with 5 European CS initiatives tackling major forms of pollution, which pose substantial threats to human health and to the environment, and contributing to Sustainable Development Goals. These pilots will be the starting point for a ‘citizen science accelerator’, which will be expanded through an open call.

By considering the needs of multiple stakeholders throughout the lifecycle of CS, we will create methodologies, tools and guidelines to truly democratise the scientific process , allowing anyone to design and realise a CS project from the early stages of ideation to validating and publishing the results.

Our research will account for the multitude of manifestations of CS, addressing everything from from small-scale, localised social issues to international research agendas. All ACTION’s outputs - infrastructure, the citizen science platform and toolkit - will be made openly available for online and offline use. They will use accessible formats and interfaces, which appeal to audiences with diverse motivations and backgrounds and provide detailed examples, workflows, and advice tailored for a range of activities, going beyond data collection and analysis.

Our digital infrastructure will help citizen scientists use existing specialised platforms and publish results according to RRI principles, including open science.

Our toolkit will tackle common difficulties around methodological choices, quality, incentives, community building and sustainability. In addition, the 35 pilots hosted by the accelerator will result in case studies that will demonstrate the impacts of CS at social, economic, environmental and policy level.

Project

The overall objective of hackAIR is to develop and pilot test an open platform that will enable communities of citizens to easily set up air quality monitoring networks and engage their members in measuring and publishing outdoor air pollution levels, leveraging the power of online social networks, mobile and open hardware technologies, and engagement strategies. The hackAIR platform will enable the collection of data from:

• measurements from existing air quality stations and open data
• user-generated sky-depicting images (either publicly available geo-tagged and time-stamped images posted through social media platforms, or images captured by users
• low-cost open hardware devices easily assembled by citizens using commercial off-the-shelf parts

A data fusion algorithm and reasoning services will be developed for synthesising heterogeneous air quality data into air quality-aware personalised services to citizens.

The hackAIR platform will be co-created with the users, and offered through:

• a web application that communities of citizens will be able to install and customize
• a mobile app that citizens can use to get convenient access to easy-to-understand air quality information, contribute to measurements by an open sensor, or by taking and uploading sky-depicting photos, and receive personalised air quality-aware information on their everyday activities

The hackAIR platform will be tested in two pilot locations, with the direct participation of a grassroots NGO with >400.000 members and a health association with >19.000 members. Appropriate strategies and tools will be developed and deployed for increasing user engagement and encouraging behavioural change.

The usability and effectiveness of the hackAIR platform, and its social and environmental impact will be assessed. A sustainability and exploitation strategy will pave the way for the future availability of the hackAIR toolkit, community and website, and explore opportunities for commercial exploitation.

NILU led the pilot study in Norway and the development of the data fusion tool.

Project

The CITI-SENSE project developed and tested components of environmental monitoring and information systems based on innovative and novel Earth Observation capabilities. The applications focused on the citizens’ immediate environment regarding urban air quality, environmental quality of urban public spaces and indoor air quality in schools.

The CITI-SENSE approach was to develop “Citizens’ Observatories” (COs), a collaborative concept that focuses on the empowerment of citizens to influence their community policy and decision-making. Several novel technologies, especially a variety of micro sensors, mobile applications and communication solutions, enabled this approach technically.

The concept of CITI-SENSE citizen observatories rested on realizing the chain “sensors-platform-products-users” with the following elements: technologies for distributed monitoring (sensors); information and communication technologies (platform); information products and services (products); and citizen involvement in both monitoring and societal decisions (users). The main novel contributions were:

• Studies of motivations and barriers to citizen involvement with environmental decision making
• Development of tools for citizens monitoring of urban environment
• Deployment of low-cost micro sensor devices and innovative data fusion and scientific analyses
• Combining new sensing technology, ICT Cloud platform with IoT, Big Data and App/Portal services and participatory methods in products and services.

To demonstrate the CO concept and capabilities, we established and for over six months, operated the largest ever sensor network for air quality comprising of 324 units deployed across Europe. We involved nearly 400 volunteers in nine cities to test our personal monitoring devices. We established 24 individual COs (8 COs for outdoor air quality, 12 COs for indoor air quality in schools and 4 COs for personal comfort in public spaces) in the following nine cities across Europe: Barcelona (ES), Belgrade (RS), Edinburgh (UK), Haifa (IL), Ljubljana (SI), Oslo (NO), Ostrava (CZ), Vienna (A) and Vitoria-Gasteiz (ES). We involved volunteers in co-development of sensor devices, visualisation solutions and other tools used in the project. Our air perception app was downloaded and actively used by more than 1200 persons. With the help of the sensor network and additional observation tools, we collected more than 9.4 million observations in the last year of the project.

In any decisions, people need to be in focus. We developed and applied participatory methods for each individual CO. We collected citizens’ feedback on environmental issues through evaluation questionnaires and in-depth focus group discussions and interviews. We have also collected feedback on our tools and services. The results have also helped the tools’ providers to improve their products and we can provide a list of lessons learned to support similar initiatives within Citizens’ Observatories and Citizen Science. The resulting products and services are available through the Citizens’ Observatories Web Portal (http://co.citi-sense.eu).

CITI-SENSE operated within an open e-collaboration framework with projects funded under the same call. Methodologies and standards for data archiving, discovery and access within the GEOSS framework were coherent with initiatives such as GEO, INSPIRE and GMES. CITI-SENSE also made CO information available through the GEOSS infrastructure.

NILU was the project coordinator and WP lead for Citizens’ Observatories. NILU led the CO on air quality in Oslo and the CO on indoor climate in schools.

Utvalgte publikasjoner før 2018:

Oslo Citizens' Observatory. Results from the Oslo Empowerment Initiative as part of the CITI-SENSE project.

Castell, N. & Grossberndt, S.
2017
Report/thesis

CITI-SENSE. Final report on methodology. Deliverable 6.4, Work Package 6.

Fredriksen, M., Bartonova, A., Kruzevic, Z., Kobernus, M., Liu, H.-Y., Santiago, L., Schneider, P., & Tamilin, A.
2016
Report/thesis

CITI-SENSE. Citizens' observatories - version 1. Deliverable D4.3.

Liu, H.-Y. (Ed.) Bartonova, A., Berre, A., Broday, D., Castell, N., Cole-Hunter, T., Fredriksen, M.F., Grossberndt, S., Høiskar, B.A., Holøs, S.B., Kobernus, M., Keune, H., Liu, H.-Y., Robinson, J., Santiago, L., & Soloaga, I..A.
2015
Report/thesis